Penguins Have an Erik Karlsson Decision to Make This Offseason

Pittsburgh Penguins president of hockey operations and general manager Kyle Dubas has some decisions to make this summer. His team performed well this season and returned to the playoffs for the first time since 2022, thanks in large part to defenseman Erik Karlsson. With one year left on his contract, Dubas will have to decide if giving Karlsson an extension makes sense going forward. 

Karlsson’s Best Season With the Penguins 

Karlsson’s first two seasons with the Penguins were a bit of a disappointment. He wasn’t bad, but he didn’t live up to the 101-point campaign he put up with the San Jose Sharks in 2022-23 before he arrived in Pittsburgh. This season, he looked more like the player the Penguins expected him to be. He played 75 regular-season games, scoring 15 goals and 66 points. 

This was easily Karlsson’s best season as a Penguin. He didn’t overcomplicate his game, and he let the play come to him. He played well in all three zones and did not try to force offense. His best season also coincided with head coach Dan Muse’s first season in the Steel City. Muse played to Karlsson’s strengths and used him where he was the most effective.

There was always an underlying sense that Karlsson and former head coach Mike Sullivan did not see eye to eye. Under Sullivan, Karlsson made bad decisions with the puck, and he seemed disinterested much of the time.

This season, Muse used Karlsson on the penalty kill (PK) a lot, which was a good decision. Before 2025-26, he had only played 78 minutes on the PK for the Penguins. This season, he played 140 PK minutes. His skating ability and his ability to see lanes that offensive players sometimes miss are what make him a natural penalty killer.

He also has a pretty good idea of where the opposition wants to put the puck and where they want to place bodies with the man advantage. He was good along the boards and good at winning puck battles. 

Will the Penguins Give Karlsson an Extension? 

There is no question that Karlsson thrived under Muse this season, but he will be 37 years old when his new deal kicks in. Dubas has made it clear that his goal is to get his team back to being a serious Cup contender. 

Captain Sidney Crosby is in the same boat. His contract expires at the end of next season as well. But Crosby will be signed for as long as he wants to keep playing. Karlsson’s extension might not make much sense for the team as it builds for the future.

Dubas has also been clear about his plan to make the team younger, and he could try to trade Karlsson this summer for a good return or a younger player, but Karlsson has a full no-movement clause and would have to approve any possible deal. He has said how much he likes playing in Pittsburgh, but at 36-years-old, he has not won a Stanley Cup, and he might agree to be moved to a team ready to contend.

The problem is that the Penguins lack depth on the right side, making it hard to replace Karlsson. Harrison Brunicke has shown promise, but he will not be ready for top-four minutes next season. Right now, the Penguins are a better team with Karlsson on the roster, and it would make sense to re-sign him to a one or two-year deal this summer, at least until the organization can see what they have in Brunicke.

It may take a while before Dubas decides how he wants to move forward, but for now, he must be hoping that Karlsson carries this season’s success into 2026-27.