GRIT & GF
Erik Karlsson

Pittsburgh Penguins, Defence

Erik Karlsson

  • Finesse
  • Playmaker
Points, 2026–27
11
1 G, 10 A in 10 GP
Individual xG
1.2
1 goals from it
Ice time per game
23:08
15 shots on goal
xGF% at 5v5
46.9
share of chances while he's on

Erik Karlsson has 1 goal and 10 assists (11 points) in 10 games for the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2026–27, with 15 shots on goal and 23:08 of ice time a game. His Grit & GF rating for 2026–27 is 0.1 out of 100, provisional until he has 15 to 20 games.

10 games in. The methodology requires 15 to 20 games to be accurate, so this season's rating still leans on the league average for his position and will move.

GRIT & GF

0.1050100
Rated above 1% of defencemen
Goals above average
−1.6
Wins
−0.27
Physicality1thGF76thIntimidation2thChemistry4thClutch98th

Where the rating comes from

Weight × score in standard deviations. They sum to −1.64, which the normal curve turns into the rating.

Your weights

Under these weights he ranks above 0.4% of 223 rated players

The default weights are our call. Set your own; they get rescaled to add up to 100%.

Clutch

+2.21 SD · 98th percentile · weight 0%

His team's expected-goal differential with him on the ice in the third period or overtime of a one-goal game, against his own usual rate. Not counted in the rating since grit-0.5: it didn't repeat from season to season, so it was mostly luck.

  • Close-and-late liftxGD per 60Heavily shrunk: close-and-late minutes are scarce.0.1598th pct
  • Close-and-late ice timeminutesThe sample behind the clutch number.2567th pct

Percentiles are against 223 rated defencemen in 2026-27, on 165 minutes of his 5-on-5 time. Hits, blocks and takeaways count toward the rating and are worth zero goals until a study shows otherwise. Model grit-0.5.

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Erik Karlsson's Grit & GF card
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Game notes

Written the morning after from the night's stats, for games where he did something worth a sentence.

  1. vs DAL

    Saturday, October 10

    Volume

    Erik Karlsson had 9 shot attempts. Two reached the net and none went in. His average this season was 5.2. It finished 2-1 for the Penguins in a shootout.

  2. at PHI

    Wednesday, April 29

    Ice time

    Erik Karlsson played 36:22, about 13 minutes more than his average this season. He has 69 points in 81 games this season. The Penguins fell 1-0 to the Flyers in overtime.

  3. vs FLA

    Saturday, April 4

    Big night

    Four points for Erik Karlsson: one goal and three assists. He has 14 goals this season. He played 20:30 and had two shots on goal. It finished 9-4 for the Penguins.

  4. vs DAL

    Saturday, March 28

    Big night

    Erik Karlsson had three points, one goal and two assists. He has 13 goals this season. He played 24:47 and had one shot on goal. The Penguins lost 6-3 to the Stars.

  5. at OTT

    Thursday, March 26

    Volume

    Erik Karlsson had 13 shot attempts. Eight got through to the goalie, and one went in. His average this season was 6.2. He finished with one goal and two assists. It finished 4-3 for the Penguins in a shootout.

  6. vs WPG

    Saturday, March 21

    Streak

    Erik Karlsson has scored in 3 straight games. He scored twice. That was his 11th goal of the season. The Penguins beat the Jets 5-4 in a shootout.

  7. at CAR

    Wednesday, March 18

    Big night

    Three points for Erik Karlsson: two goals and one assist. That was his ninth goal of the season. The Penguins lost 6-5 to the Hurricanes in overtime.

  8. at COL

    Monday, March 16

    Big night

    Three points for Erik Karlsson: one goal and two assists. He has 7 goals this season. He played 21:44 and had four shots on goal. The Penguins beat the Avalanche 7-2.

Player card

Percentile among 194 defencemen with enough games this season. 50 is the median.

Scoring

  • Ice time per game23:08
    87
  • Points per 602.85
    98
  • Goals per 600.26
    60
  • Individual xG per 600.31
    73
  • Shots per 603.9
    57

5-on-5 play

  • xG for per 60, on ice2.97
    76
  • xG against per 60, on ice3.36
    4
  • xGF%46.9%
    36

Physical

  • Hits per 600.3
    5
  • Blocks per 601.8
    6
  • Penalty minutes per 600.0
    93

Skating and shooting

NHL EDGE puck and player tracking, 2026–27. Percentiles are the league's, against all skaters.

Skating

  • Top speed21.9 mph
    87
  • Bursts over 20 mph17
    98
  • Distance skated30 mi
    92

Shooting

  • Hardest shot92.3 mph
    85
  • Shots on goal15
    87
  • Shooting %6.7%
    55

Zone time

  • Offensive zone time44.7%
    83
  • Offensive zone time, even strength43.6%
    73

Who he plays with

His most-used defence partners at 5-on-5 this season, with what happened while they were out together.

PartnerGamesTOIShot attemptsxGGoalsxG share
Declan Carlile10102:40122–1035.8–5.58–951%
Spencer Stastney525:0317–261.0–1.91–135%
Samuel Girard914:109–180.5–0.60–047%
Kris Letang1012:2511–140.8–0.41–064%
Trevor van Riemsdyk54:210–50.0–0.20–00%
Kaedan Korczak73:522–30.1–0.20–028%

Last 20 games

Columns are his individual expected goals, the quality of his own chances. Dots are goals he scored.

ixGGoal
0.000.501.00
04-0410-19

By season

SeasonGPGAPSOGixGTOI/GPHitsBlkxGF% 5v5
2026–271011011151.223:081746.9
2025–267515516617612.723:36206552.2
2024–25821142531919.723:14299449.8
2023–248211455621311.824:164010053.8

Last 20 games

DateTOIGASOGixGHitsBlkPIM
2026-10-1927:401110.11030
2026-10-1721:560110.04010
2026-10-1620:570120.11000
2026-10-1320:240210.24000
2026-10-1027:100020.15000
2026-10-0924:500100.15000
2026-10-0724:440040.13010
2026-10-0524:000110.12100
2026-10-0319:380200.09010
2026-09-3019:590130.06010
2026-04-2936:220040.27200
2026-04-2726:230020.02022
2026-04-2526:470110.10002
2026-04-2228:591020.21104
2026-04-2027:290010.11012
2026-04-1825:430130.10020
2026-04-1219:560000.04020
2026-04-0922:301120.87000
2026-04-0521:270020.12010
2026-04-0420:301320.09010