Karlsson a big lift for the Penguins

Kyle Dubas, hired by Fenway Sports Group to be the rainmaker in the Penguins reset, delivered on demand last Sunday, landing Norris-winning defenseman Erik Karlsson in a three-team swap that should lift Pittsburgh back into the playoff mix in the East.

Karlsson, though 33, was by far the best player in the three-team swap, which also included the Sharks and Canadiens. With all due respect to a talented Kris Letang, Karlsson is a force the Penguins didn’t have along the backline even when they won consecutive Cups in 2016 and ’17.

The Sharks, in desperate need of cap relief, retained only 1.5 million on the final four years of Karlsson’s megadeal that carries an $11.5 million cap hit. Sharks GM Mike Grier received only mediocre assets in forwards Mikael Granlund and Mike Hoffman, along with defenseman Jan Rutta, but it helped San Jose with roster depth and, more importantly, moved the Sharks rebuild up by a couple of years. Grier now is positioned to shop aggressively in the summer ’25 UFA market, something that Karlsson’s contract would have made all but impossible until July ’27.

Karlsson, who this past season became the first blue liner to pile up 100 points since Brian Leetch (Rangers, 1992-93), could make for a magical power play, working with Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Bryan Rust, and Letang. Will one puck be enough?

Critics of the deal, of whom there have been many, figure the aged Penguins only grew older with Karlsson. No denying it’s an aged squad by NHL standards. But the view here: Karlsson’s abundant skills and IQ will provide Crosby and Malkin and Letang with a needed boost in energy and enthusiasm, maybe enough to make the Penguins legit Cup contenders for the next season or two.

Now the trick for Dubas, the exLeafs GM, will be to infuse the roster with some younger talent capable of providing a carry-through as all the silver hairs age out after the next couple of seasons. As hard as it was to pull off the top deal of this offseason, that might be an even taller order, especially if the league’s cap boosts don’t prove to be as robust in the post-COVID era as some models predict.

The Habs, who provided essential third-party support to close the deal, ended up getting Jeff Petry back after his one year in Steel City. He’s a solid citizen, and loved his prior eight seasons with Les Glorieux — in times that were hard to love.

Keep in mind: the Habs still could deal Petry, 35, if GM Kent Hughes decides his greatest value now is as a trade asset. If he stays, he can provide needed support for a back line that will face continued pressure while coach Martin St. Louis endeavors to increase pace and tempo among an eager, inexperienced offensive corps.