PuckSleuth
94Cap hit
$2.25M
2.2% of $104M cap
Term
2 yrs
Through 2027-28, then UFA
Clause
None
Surplus value
+$2.49M
vs. $4.74M market estimate
Confirmed by the public signing announcement · source
2026-27 regular season
GP
3
Goals
0
0.0% shooting
Assists
3
2 primary
Points
3
1.00 per game
TOI/GP
15:11
PP 1:46 · PK 0:02
Plus/minus
-1
Hits
0
Blocks 1
PIM
2
Game Score
+0.69
per game
Game log
Last 5 games · NHL API
| Game | G | A | SOG | HIT | BLK | TOI | PP | PK | FO | OZS% | GV | TK | +/- | GS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 3 vs CGY · W 4-1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 18:09 | 2:56 | 0:00 | 1-1 | 25 | 2 | 1 | +3 | +1.99 |
| Oct 1 vs EDM · L 9-7 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 13:47 | 1:45 | 0:07 | 1-1 | 67 | 1 | 0 | -3 | -0.21 |
| Sep 29 @ EDM · W 6-5 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 13:37 | 0:38 | 0:00 | 1-1 | 33 | 0 | 0 | -1 | +0.29 |
| Apr 16 @ EDM · L 6-1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 16:19 | 0:16 | 0:00 | — | 50 | 1 | 0 | -2 | -0.14 |
| Apr 14 vs LAK · W 4-3 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 13:23 | 0:39 | 0:00 | 0-2 | 50 | 1 | 0 | 0 | +0.11 |
GS = our Game Score (credit for everything he did; goals and assists count most). FO = faceoffs won-lost. OZS% = share of his 5v5 offensive and defensive zone faceoff starts that were in the offensive zone. GV/TK = giveaways/takeaways.
Advanced metrics
5v5 unless noted · 2025-26 · 848 min · percentile vs. NHL forwards
40th percentile
97th percentile
61st percentile
63rd percentile
94th percentile
59th percentile
13th percentile
49th percentile
73rd percentile
65th percentile
45th percentile
89th percentile
1st percentile
54th percentile
15 won · 36 lost (all strengths)
xGF% is his team's share of 5v5 expected goals while he was on the ice, from our own expected goals model; HDCF% counts only high-danger chances (xG of 0.15 or more). IPP is the share of his team's 5v5 goals while he was on the ice that he scored or assisted on. Relative stats compare him with his team when he was off the ice. Goals above expected and ixG/60 use his own shots at all strengths. PDO and OZS% describe luck and deployment, so their bars are grey.
Play styleDefensive playmaker
Trait percentiles vs. NHL centers · 2025-26
Karlsson is a responsible two-way center who moves the puck crisply and plays solid defense, but lacks the speed and agility to generate transition offense. He succeeds through accuracy and positioning rather than skating ability.
- Shooting volume
- 78
- Playmaking
- 70
- Zone entries(est.)
- 35
- Forechecking
- 57
- Physicality
- 48
- Defensive impact
- 70
- Puck management
- 37
- Speed
- 36
Where he shoots from
Slot 63% · Mid-range 30% · Perimeter 7%(180 unblocked shots)
Strengths
- Playmaking at 70th percentile helps create chances for linemates
- Defensive impact at 70th percentile shows strong off-puck positioning
- Shooting volume at 78th percentile demonstrates consistent offensive involvement
Watch-outs
- Speed at 36th percentile limits his ability to lead rush chances
- Puck management at 37th percentile means occasional turnovers in transition
- Zone entries at 35th percentile reflects difficulty getting the puck in cleanly
Similar style: Anton Lundell (FLA), Tomas Hertl (VGK)
Built from play-by-play, shift data, and NHL EDGE tracking. Zone entries is an estimate (rush chances while he is on the ice) until tracking data is added.
Career stats
From the NHL's player records
| Season | Team | GP | G | A | P | +/- | PIM | PPG | PPP | SHG | GWG | SOG | S% | TOI | FO% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023-24 | Vancouver Canucks | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 9:55 | — |
| Career | 1 seasons | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 9:55 | — |
Seasons traded mid-year show one row per team.
Latest news
Headlines from news outlets and team blogs
Sentiment & chatter
Fans
—
Beat writers
—
Media
—
Fan, beat writer, and media scores, the 14-day trade chatter chart, and the latest mentions appear once sentiment scoring is switched on. Mentions are already being collected.
Recent Game Scores
Last 10 games · goals above average
Average +0.59 per game over these 10.
Where his Game Score comes from
+0.43 per game
2025-26 · 79 GP
Season total +34.0, or +0.43 per game.
- Scoring
- +27.4
- Shooting
- +8.7
- 5-on-5 goals
- -3.9
- Defense
- -0.8
- Penalty kill
- -0.1
- Physical play
- +2.8
- Puck battles
- -1.7
- Penalties
- +1.9
- Faceoffs
- -0.2
Game Score gives credit for everything a player does in a game. Goals (1.0) and assists (0.7 primary, 0.5 secondary) count most; shots, blocks, hits, takeaways, penalties drawn, faceoff wins, killing penalties, and holding down the other team's chances add to it. Only mistakes subtract: goals against at 5-on-5, giveaways, penalties taken, faceoff losses, and allowing more chances than an average player would. A player who is there to defend or kill penalties is not marked down for not scoring. Goalies are measured by goals saved above expected.
Skating · NHL EDGE
2026-27, as of Oct 2
- Top speed
- 19.8 mph
- 20th pct
- 20+ mph bursts
- 0
- Hardest shot
- 75.0 mph
- 63rd pct
- Distance
- 2.2 mi
- OZ time
- 37.3%
- 18th pct
- DZ time
- 43.5%
Usage
Last game: vs CGY, Oct 3
Line 1 with Elias Pettersson and Marco Rossi (10:30 together at 5-on-5) · PP2
From the NHL's shift chart.
Age curve
At 26: 98% of peak
NHL forwards · production index
At 26, forwards typically produce 98% of their peak (age 24). His contract runs through age 27, when the typical level is 96%.
From 24 seasons of NHL results, adjusted for league scoring and save percentage in each era. Shaded bars are the seasons left on his contract.
Contract by season
2 seasons left
| Season | Team | Cap hit | % of cap |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-27 | VAN | $2.25M | 2.2% |
| 2027-28 | VAN | $2.25M | 2.0% |
UFA after 2027-28. $4.5M in cap hits left. % of cap uses each season's ceiling where the league has set one ($104M this season, $113.5M in 2027-28).