Insider Nuggets: Why Karlsson Lit Up Sweden, Letang, & Bemstrom Dots (+)

CRANBERRY, Pa. — There was no doubt that Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Erik Karlsson played pretty well for Team Sweden in the Four Nations Face-Off.

From the opening minutes of the tournament, Karlsson was an offensive force for Sweden, as he led the rush and finished an odd-man break for Sweden’s first goal in a 4-3 overtime loss to Canada in Game 1. Karlsson has three points, including the goal in three games and was a plus-2.

Some have asserted that, unlike the Penguins system, the Swedish system unleashed one of the world’s best defensemen. Karlsson will soon be 35 years old, but he glided all over the tournament ice.

Was it Sweden’s system? So, in the interest of curiosity or controversy, to settle some of the questions PHN simply asked if it was the Swedish game plan to untether Karlsson.