It has been twelve years since a Swede reached 100 points in the NHL.
But now Erik Karlsson is close. Really close.
The Swede continues to dominate and storms towards the limit of dreams.
It’s not the easiest thing, what Erik Karlsson has done this season. He plays on one of the NHL’s worst teams and the spring has been a complete disaster for the San Jose Sharks. It’s been a long time since the team was definitely counted out for the playoffs, and the losses have been put in a row.
New smash hit
But Erik Karlsson has continued to dominate, and he is the clear favorite to win the Norris Trophy, the award for the NHL’s best defenseman, later in the year. Because what he does is almost unparalleled in modern NHL history. Karlsson had another point last night as the Sharks lost 3-4 to the Colorado Avalanche. He thus stands on 96 points, divided between 22 goals and 74 assists, with five games left in the regular season.
Erik Karlsson thus only needs to score four points in those games – an average that he hits with flying colors – to reach the completely magical dream limit of 100 points. And it doesn’t directly belong to the usual. The last Swede to reach 100 points in the NHL was Daniel Sedan, during the 2010-2011 season. It has been twelve long years since the last time, but now everything points to Karlsson getting there.
READ MORE: The incomparable tributes to the Frölunda star after the show – everyone now says exactly the same thing: “Best in Europe”
Could be the first in 30 years
And even more impressive is that he does it as a full back. Karlsson already holds the record as the Swedish defenseman with the most points in a single NHL season ever, but should he reach 100 points, he will also become the first defenseman in the entire NHL to reach triple digits in points since Brian Leetch did it with the New York Rangers – 1992 Karlsson is also not the only Swede to reach these dizzying heights this season.
Elias Pettersson scored a goal for the Canucks in a 2-5 loss against the Seattle Kraken last night, making his total 97 points this season. Elias Pettersson also has five games left to play, and thus a lot speaks for us that we will have two (!) Swedes over the dream limit when the season is summed up. Add to that that both, in theory, can be relevant for WC games in the spring.
READ MORE: Mats Sundin’s strong confession about Börje Salming’s last days – and emotional words from his wife