The Detroit Red Wings may be one player away from transforming into a true contender—and that player could well be Erik Karlsson.
During his tenure with the San Jose Sharks from 2018 to 2022, the team quietly established itself as one of the league's premier penalty-killing units, ranking second overall in that span. Notably, in his first season with San Jose,
Karlsson ranked third among defensemen in short-handed ice time, trailing only Brent Burns and Marc-Édouard Vlasic. Though his role on the PK was later reduced to conserve energy for power play duties, his early deployment underscored his versatility and hockey IQ.