Erik Karlsson Seems a Full Go at Practice

Erik Karlsson, the veteran defenseman who has been injured all of training camp, practiced in what appeared to be full capacity with his Pittsburgh Penguins teammates Saturday at the UMPC Lemieux Sports Complex.

Karlsson has only recently been on the ice with the team, and only in an apparent non-contact capacity. He was wearing a regular black jersey, an indication he might have been cleared for full capacity.

He participated with the top power-play unit, along with Kris Letang, Evgeni Malkin, Sidney Crosby and Rickard Rakell, with Letang up top and Karlsson on the left side.

Karlsson began training camp listed with an upper-body injury. He did not play in any of the team’s preseason games.

Coach Mike Sullivan has expressed optimism that Karlsson will be ready to play Wednesday when the Penguins open the regular season at home against the New York Rangers.

Injured top-line winger Bryan Rust did not practice.