Karlsson eyeing Stanley Cup following trade to Penguins

PITTSBURGH -- Erik Karlsson has accomplished a lot in 14 NHL seasons.

The 33-year-old won the Norris Trophy as the League's best defenseman for the third time last season after he had 101 points (25 goals, 76 assists) in 82 games for the San Jose Sharks. He became the sixth defenseman in NHL history to reach 100 points in a season, and the first since Brian Leetch had 102 for the New York Rangers in 1991-92.

Now with the Pittsburgh Penguins, Karlsson said he wants what has been out of reach: the Stanley Cup.

"It's always been the ultimate drive," Karlsson said Wednesday. "I think, for myself, I like to play the important games and I like to be on successful teams, having success collectively as a group."

Karlsson was acquired from the Sharks on Sunday in a three-team trade including the Montreal Canadiens.

RELATED: [Karlsson trade an 'affirmation' Penguins can compete for Cup, Dubas says]

The Penguins have kept Karlsson from a championship three times, eliminating him and the Ottawa Senators from the Stanley Cup Playoffs in 2010, 2013 and 2017.

In 2017, Ottawa pushed Pittsburgh to double overtime in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Final, but Chris Kunitz scored at 5:09 to send the Penguins toward what would be the second of back-to-back championships.

That left an impression.

"Obviously, I've played against Pittsburgh many times and lost a few times when they went on to win the ultimate prize," Karlsson said. "That's something that they know how to do here. And the players that they've had here for a long time are all really good players."

Last season, the Penguins weren't what Karlsson remembered, going 40-31-11 and missing the playoffs for the first time since 2005-06.

"I know that there will be a lot of people that doubt the group, and rightfully so," president of hockey operations and general manager Kyle Dubas said Monday. "I think the doubts are fair. I think the criticisms are fair. ... [Karlsson] is still an elite player, as he showed last year winning the Norris Trophy. If we have a chance to sign him, we're going to do it because we believe in the group."

To Karlsson, puck possession could be most important, which Dubas said Pittsburgh struggled with last season.

"I love the game. It's playing with the puck. I still like to do that," Karlsson said. "And I think that I found a joy in the game again this year, for real. And I just love it. … In my opinion, the team that controls the puck the most and has the puck the most is usually the team that is going to do the best.

"I like playing with the puck. That's how we started out playing the game, and that's how I'm hoping I get to play the game for the rest of my career."

With Karlsson and defenseman Kris Letang as a one-two punch, coach Mike Sullivan said the puck should be in the hands of forwards like Sidney Crosby or Evgeni Malkin more often.

"I think Erik's going to be a huge help for us in that regard," Sullivan said. "He's going to drive a lot of offense for us. Kris Letang drives a lot of offense for us from the blue line. Now we've got another guy that's going to drive a lot of offense, and I think these guys can really complement some of our star players at the forward position."

Karlsson said he is looking forward to joining Letang, the Penguins' all-time leader among defensemen in goals (156), assists (535), points (691) and games played (1,005).

"I'm excited to be able to work alongside guys like that and to learn things," Karlsson said. "That's my game. I hope that what I bring, it's going to help them out as well. And I think at the end of the day, we're all trying to do the same thing, which is just to win hockey games and to win the Cup. We all fall in the same role."

But Karlsson is unique, Sharks captain Logan Couture said.

"He's a one-of-a-kind of player," Couture said. "There's very few in the world that can do what he does. … It's tough to explain seeing him every day in practice and in games how he can do what he does and at the NHL level last year. So, it was a treat to just be a part of his season last year."

To Karlsson, repeating that type of performance this season is only important if it helps Pittsburgh return to the playoffs.

"I was very excited about the opportunity to have a chance to go somewhere where I could be on a team that is contending," Karlsson said. "It was exciting when I heard that [the Penguins] were interested, so I'm happy that it worked out in the end here."

NHL.com staff writers Amalie Benjamin and Jon Lane contributed to this report

Photo Credit: Pittsburgh Penguins