Erik Karlsson
Three-time Norris Trophy winner and elite Swedish defenceman.
Erik Sven Gunnar Karlsson, born 31 May 1990, is a Swedish professional ice hockey defenceman for the Pittsburgh Penguins. He has won the James Norris Memorial Trophy three times, in 2012, 2015, and 2023, as the NHL’s top defenceman. Drafted 15th overall by the Ottawa Senators in the first round of the 2008 NHL entry draft, he spent his first nine NHL seasons there before also playing for the San Jose Sharks.
Karlsson made his Elitserien debut for Frölunda HC on 1 March 2008, playing 8:48 in a sold-out home game against league leaders HV71. He scored the overtime game-winning goal on a slap shot during a power play, assisted by Tomi Kallio and Magnus Kahnberg, securing a playoff spot for Frölunda with three games left. He then finished the season with Frölunda’s J20 team in the J20 SuperElit playoffs, winning the Anton Cup after a two-games-to-one victory over Brynäs IF’s J20 team in the Swedish Junior Ice Hockey Championship final.
Before the 2008 draft, NHL Central Scouting ranked Karlsson fourth among European skaters. The Senators, picking 15th overall in front of their home crowd at Scotiabank Place, selected him; the pick was announced by Ottawa captain Daniel Alfredsson, a Gothenburg native who also played for Frölunda. General manager Bryan Murray traded Ottawa’s first-round pick (18th overall) and a 2009 third-round pick to the Nashville Predators for the 15th pick to ensure no other team took Karlsson. Shortly before the 2008–09 Elitserien season, Frölunda promoted him to the senior team as a regular.
In September 2009, Karlsson attended Senators training camp, and on 29 September he made the NHL roster. He debuted on 3 October against the New York Rangers, recording his first NHL point (an assist). After struggling in nine games, he was assigned to the AHL’s Binghamton Senators. Recalled on 27 November 2009, he scored his first NHL goal against Minnesota Wild goaltender Niklas Bäckström in a 4–1 win on 19 December, staying in the NHL for the rest of the season and playing in all of Ottawa’s 2010 Stanley Cup playoff games.
Karlsson was selected for the 2011 NHL All-Star Game on 30 January in Raleigh, North Carolina, with 25 points in 41 games. In the 2011–12 season, he continued developing. On 16 December 2011, his third assist of the night gave him his 100th regular-season point (in 168 games) against the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Quick Facts
- Birth Date
- 1990-05-31
- Birth Place
- Landsbro, Sweden
- Height Ft
- 6
- Height In
- 0
- Weight Lb
- 185
- Position
- Defence
- Shoots
- Right
- League
- NHL
- Team
- Pittsburgh Penguins
- Former Teams
- Frölunda HC / Ottawa Senators / Jokerit / San Jose Sharks
- Ntl Team
- SWE
- Draft
- 15th overall
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
Karlsson made his Elitserien debut for Frölunda HC on 1 March 2008, scoring the game-winning goal in overtime. He was drafted 15th overall by the Ottawa Senators in 2008 after being ranked fourth among European skaters by NHL Central Scouting. He spent his first nine NHL seasons with Ottawa, also playing for the San Jose Sharks before joining the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Karlsson won his first Norris Trophy in 2012 at age 22, becoming the second Swede after Nicklas Lidström to win the award. He won his second Norris in 2015 after leading all NHL defencemen in points for the third time in four seasons. In 2023 he won his third Norris Trophy. During the 2015–16 season, he became the first defenceman since Paul Coffey in 1985–86 to finish in the top five in scoring and the first since Bobby Orr in 1974–75 to lead the league in assists.
Reader's Guide
Erik Karlsson's significance lies in his three James Norris Memorial Trophy wins, placing him among elite defencemen in NHL history. He became the second Swede to win the award, following seven-time winner Nicklas Lidström. Karlsson's 2011–12 season saw him set a Senators franchise record for points by a defenceman with 78, and he was the NHL's leading vote-getter for the 2012 All-Star Game. In 2015–16, he broke Nicklas Lidström's record for most points in a single season by a Swedish defenceman, finishing fourth in league scoring. He also led the NHL in assists that season, a feat not accomplished by a defenceman since Bobby Orr. Karlsson served as captain of the Ottawa Senators from 2014 onward, and his playoff performance in 2017, despite two hairline fractures in his left heel, helped the Senators reach the conference finals for the first time since 2007. His career includes multiple Norris Trophy nominations and consistent top-tier scoring among defencemen.
Did You Know?
- Karlsson scored the game-winning goal in his Elitserien debut for Frölunda HC on 1 March 2008.
- He was drafted 15th overall by the Ottawa Senators after Ottawa traded up from the 18th pick to ensure no other team selected him.
- Karlsson's 66 assists in 2015–16 led the NHL, making him the first defenceman to do so since Bobby Orr in 1974–75.
- He played in the 2017 playoffs with two hairline fractures in his left heel.
More in NHL Trophy Winners, Part 2 1-24
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