No running back had reached 100 points in a single season since 1992.
Now Erik Karlsson has reached the incomparable dream limit.
– It is very special, he says.
It was several weeks ago that Erik Karlsson made history in the NHL, as the Swedish defender who scored the most points in one and the same NHL season in history. And after that, Karlsson just continued to dominate, and last night he made another, insanely powerful history in the NHL.
Reached the dream limit
Erik Karlsson was sitting on 98 points heading into the San Jose Sharks’ game against the Winnipeg Jets last night, and it was clear that Karlsson had a goal in mind. It took 20 seconds into the game before he had scored his 99th point of the season. And in the third period, Karlsson himself scored on the power play, which meant point number 100 this season.
And it doesn’t happen right away every year. In the 1992 season, Brian Leetch scored over 100 points for his New York Rangers, but since then no defenseman has reached the magic mark in the NHL. Now Erik Karlsson became the first player in over 30 years to succeed in the feat.
– It is obvious that it is a very special thing to do, says Karlsson afterwards.
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Chasing a new milestone
Erik Karlsson reached the milestone in his 80th game this season, and should he reach 103 points, he would become the first ever to score as much as a guard, aside from the inhuman Bobby Orr and Paul Coffey.
– It’s nice to have it over. There has been a lot of talk about this, says Karlsson.
Erik Karlsson has been mocked and criticized for his efforts in recent seasons. He became one of the league’s highest-paid players when he joined the Sharks, but has not lived up to the lofty expectations. Now there aren’t many people who have anything negative to say, and he is a huge favorite to be awarded the league’s best back later in the year.
– I think I’m physically and mentally in a good place in my life and I’ve just tried to take it day by day and keep the motivation going, says Karlsson.
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