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Erik Karlsson, one of the newest members of the Pittsburgh Penguins, has nothing but praise for his captain Sidney Crosby.
The Penguins made one of the biggest moves this summer by trading for Karlsson, who is in the middle of eight-year, $92 million contract. He also won the James Norris Memorial Trophy as the NHL's best defenseman last year.
Although the regular season hasn't started, Karlsson got to know Sidney Crosby in training camp and preseason. The Swede was blown away by the dedication Crosby showed and had nothing but praise for him:
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"Cool, calm and collective, I would have to say. I mean, you can just tell, he has done things for a very long time at a very high level, and once you get to be around him a little bit more personally, you can see why.
"The dedication that he has to this sport and to this organization and his teammates and everyone around him, including himself, it's very rare to come by. I haven't seen very many guy, if I see any that puts in as much time and effort as he has done for the month I've been here so far. I can't even imagine what it will be like when things get going."
It shouldn't be a surprise to hear Erik Karlsson's comments, as Sidney Crosby is one of the most respected players in the NHL.
Sidney Crosby endorsed Kyle Dubas to acquire Erik Karlsson
It shouldn't be a surprise to hear Erik Karlsson praise Sidney Crosby, as the Pittsburgh Penguins captain played a role in the Swede being traded for.
According to a report from The Athletic, Crosby and Kris Letang told Kyle Dubas he should go out and trade for Karlsson. The captain felt like adding Karlsson would keep Pittsburgh's Cup window alive and would help them reach the playoffs again this season.
The Penguins missing the playoffs last year was a surprise. This season, after all the additions, Pittsburgh is -205 to make the playoffs, which translates to a 67.2% chance of reaching the postseason.
The Penguins open its 2023-24 NHL season at home on Oct. 10 against the Chicago Blackhawks. Pittsburgh's first road game will be on Oct. 13, as the Penguins head to Washington to play the Capitals.
