Penguins defenseman Erik Karlsson expects to play in the season opener 'with ease'

Erik Karlsson was optimistic.

As he lumbered into the Pittsburgh Penguins dressing room at their facility Saturday in Cranberry, he blurted out his ambitions.

“I was hoping you forgot about me!” Karlsson quipped to the gaggle of reporters hoping to speak with him for the first time this training camp.

Those desires did not materialize for the electric All-Star defenseman who is usually the center of one of the biggest media scrums in the team’s dressing room.

But one aspiration that appears to be likely is Karlsson being ready to suit up for the team’s season-opening home contest against the New York Rangers on Wednesday.

Sidelined for the entire preseason because of an undisclosed injury, Karlsson all but declared he would be in the lineup.

“I feel pretty good,” Karlsson said. “Good enough. The season opener has always been the goal. It’s looking like that’s going to happen. It’s going to be nice to get a few practices in with the regular group and get things going there. Unfortunate situation, but making the best out of the situation. Not too worried about it.”

The nature of Karlsson’s injury — like just about every ailment suffered by an NHL player — has been kept discreet by the team. Karlsson offered a few details on the malady.

“It happened before camp,” Karlsson said. “Just working out, wear and tear. Had a really good summer. Feeling a little bit too young and probably overdid it a little bit. And this time of the year, being a little bit extra cautious was, I think, part of it. From the start, it was nothing we were too worried about. That’s why we didn’t make it a big deal. I just needed some time off to let a few things settle down, and once they did, I was pretty much good to go.”

Saturday was his first practice in which he participated in full contact. He took the ice without contact for practice Thursday and during a morning skate Friday.

His presence was clearly welcomed by his teammates.

“When he’s healthy, he can help our team a lot, especially offensively,” forward Lars Eller said. “Glad to see him back. We’re going to need him.”

The Penguins need better play all around to snap their two-year drought without qualifying for the playoffs.

Karlsson is optimistic about those hopes as well.

“We all know that we’re a much better team, much better player personnel than we showed last year,” Karlsson said. “There’s nothing that we can do about that now, but I think everybody is motivated and excited about the upcoming season. I strongly believe that (the) power play is not going to be something that’s going to be discussed in a bad way this year, hopefully. I’m just excited to get going, and obviously, the power play is an advantage for every team that gets it. We’re excited for that opportunity starting this year. It starts on Wednesday and, hopefully, we can get off to a good start. Everybody is feeling comfortable about themselves. We know what we’re supposed to do out there.”

A reunion with assistant coach David Quinn — previously Karlsson’s head coach with the San Jose Sharks — has buoyed the defenseman’s outlook as well. Quinn oversees the team’s defensemen and power-play units of which Karlsson is a prominent component.

“He’s a good guy, he’s a good person,” Karlsson said. “We had a great relationship for the one year that we were together in San Jose. We’ve stayed in contact since, and I’m happy that he’s here. I think he fits in well with this group and this coaching staff and his philosophies and his ideas. He’s made his presence known I think in a positive way, not only on me but everybody. Hopefully, he can get the most out of, not only the power-play and the (defensive) corps, but this team as a whole. I think it was a good move and something that I was obviously excited about.”

Everybody involved seems excited and optimistic about Wednesday.

“The goal was always to play the first game of the season,” Karlsson said. “It’s looking like we’re going to accomplish that with ease.”