There is a fairly high degree of intensity in the Pittsburgh Penguins training camp this season. Head coach Mike Sullivan and the Penguins failed to make the playoffs in each of the last two seasons and they have not made it past the first round of the playoffs since the 2017-18 season. While Sullivan wants to turn that around, he may not have one of Pittsburgh's most explosive defenseman available when the Penguins open the season Oct. 9 against the New York Rangers.

Erik Karlsson has not skated since early in the week as he tries to recover from an upper body injury. The Penguins opened training camp September 18, and his status has been day-to-day since then. He skated on his own from Sept. 21 through 24, but he has not been on the ice since then and will not skate at all this weekend.

Sullivan was asked about Karlsson's status and whether he would be able to play for the Penguins in the season opener. The head coach tried to take an optimistic angle when he answered the question, but he would not commit to Karlsson returning to the lineup for that game or the ones immediately follow.

“I'm confident that he's going to make progress here,” Sullivan said, per Wes Crosby of NHL.com. “So right now, his status is day to day. I know our group is working with him. Progress is being made. So I'm confident that we'll have success.”

Penguins hoping that Karlsson can return to top form

Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Erik Karlsson (65) skates with the puck against the Nashville Predators during the first period at PPG Paints Arena.
Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

When Karlsson is healthy and at his best, he is one of the best offensive defensemen in the league. He has superb balance on his skates and does an excellent job of accelerating into the offensive zone and making key plays when he is healthy. He has been one of the NHL's best passing defensemen throughout his 15-year NHL career.

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Karlsson played the first nine years of his career with the Ottawa Senators before playing five seasons with the San Jose Sharks. The 2024-25 season will be his second with the Penguins.

Karlsson, 34, has struggled with injury issues in recent seasons. However, when he has been healthy, he has dominated. Karlsson has been a first-team NHL All-Star five times and he has won the Norris Trophy as the NHL's best defenseman three times.

While returning to his most elite form seems out of the question as this point, he could give the Penguins an offensive lift if he can play regularly and maintain his position in the lineup during the upcoming season.