As the end of the NHL regular season approaches, the Pittsburgh Penguins find themselves locked in a tight race in the Metropolitan Division. And if there's one player driving their push toward the playoffs, it's Erik Karlsson. With Sidney Crosby sidelined for a significant stretch due to injury and Evgeni Malkin missing five games due to suspension, Karlsson stepped up massively—anchoring the blue line and elevating the entire team when they needed it most.

This year, the NHL took a step back from its typical early-year programming. Since the league’s players are allowed to participate in the