Linus Karlsson’s game has been building steadily.
He’s more comfortable on the ice, he’s skating faster, and is using his size and strength with more intention. He fits in and he’s making an impact.
“I’m growing into it,” Karlsson said. “I feel like it’s getting better. I felt like I played pretty good the whole year, but now the goals and points started coming and it gives me some more confidence.”
Karlsson has seven points on the season, all at even strength, with three goals and one assist for four points in his last seven games. He’s worked his way onto the second power play unit, earning the coaching staff’s trust, and he doesn’t take the opportunities lightly.
“It’s fun to be out there and I feel like I’ve been getting some more minutes too. I just try to do my best with those minutes I get,” Karlsson said.
He’s averaging 10 minutes per game, and he’s filling the minutes he gets with consistent, detailed play. As a depth forward, ice time fluctuates and depending on the matchups he may play seven or eight minutes, but there are nights where he’s called upon for 12 or 13.
Head Coach Adam Foote sees a player carving out an identity shift-by-shift and likes Karlsson’s two-way play.
“He’s just heavy. He’s heavy on the wall. He doesn’t mind holding pucks in traffic and in contact. I felt like our practices, especially out of camp and his training in the summer, he’s got a little bit faster. He’s playing faster from leaving our zone and entering their zone,” Foote said.
“He’s always been really good the top circles-down in the offensive zone, he’s making really good reads defensively when it’s his turn to be F3 leaving the offensive zone, so, he’s more predictable, more reliable, and I think he’s got a really good knack around the net when he gets an opportunity.”
The confidence and pace were on display with his most recent goal against the Dallas Stars. After grabbing the puck off a turnover in the neutral zone, Karlsson and came flying down the left wing on an odd-man rush with Brock Boeser. With the passing lane covered, he picked his spot over Jake Oettinger’s shoulder.
“I was looking for Boes the whole time. I think the goalie saw I was looking and looking, and the pass wasn’t there. I was just shooting short side, and it was nice it went in,” Karlsson said.
