But this whole having 5 forwards on the ice idea is precisely what the other teams thought when the Sharks acquired him. Certainly, Karlsson and Burns had their moments as a dynamic dual and they did make a run in Karlsson's first year. Don't get me wrong, prime Karlsson was something to behold. Then again, prime OEL was certainly a strong contender for being a top 5 Dman.
If Penguins retain, there isn't a whole lot of risk to Karlsson. He would only have 2 more years left after this season. I think Karlsson can still put up points if he can stay healthy and you let him play his game. If you want him to be a systems defender and expect him to defend well he's not your guy. I'm not sure that he would be a fit alongside Hughes.
