Penguins star D-man weighs in on impact of Rickard Rakell's injury ruling him out for 6–8 weeks

Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Erik Karlsson shared his thoughts on Rickard Rakell’s injury and how it affects the team and their plans for international play. Rakell will be out for six to eight weeks after undergoing surgery on his left hand. He hurt himself in third period of the 5-4 shootout loss to Columbus Blue Jackets on Saturday when he blocked a shot.

Karlsson, who has played with Rakell for club and country, admitted that it was a setback.

“It’s unfortunate, obviously,” Karlsson said on Sunday, via Pens Inside Scoop. “He’s not only a big part of our team, but we got Sweden coming up, and it’s obviously something that both me and him, and Filip as well now, are very excited for. It’s unfortunate timing on that part.”

Rakell has been one of Pittsburgh's most dependable forwards this season, scoring eight points in nine games. His strong start made him an important part of the team's offense, and he'll be missed, especially on the power play.

The injury is disappointing for Karlsson, not only as a Penguins teammate but also as a fellow Swede. He and Rakell were eager to represent their country in the 2026 Winter Olympics, but Rakell’s recovery comes first.

Sidney Crosby calls for tighter play after Penguins fall to Blue Jackets in shootout

The Pittsburgh Penguins' loss to Columbus Blue Jackets on Saturday ended their four-game winning streak. The Penguins fell behind early in third period but managed to fight back with goals from Kris Letang and Bryan Rust to force overtime. However, the Blue Jackets scored twice in the shootout to secure the victory.

Dmitri Voronkov led Columbus with two goals, while Letang’s power play goal and Rust’s late equalizer kept the Penguins in the game. It was a close matchup, but defensive mistakes and slow transitions hurt Pittsburgh’s chances of controlling play.

After the game, Sidney Crosby shared what the team needs to improve.

“I think we’ve got to be a little bit tighter, get out of our own end,” Crosby said, via NHL.com “If we do that, we show we can create chances. The last couple games we've been outshot, on our heels a little bit. So, we've got to find a way to dictate playing, whether that's getting out of our zone quick or executing a little better.”

The Penguins will face the St. Louis Blues on Monday at 7 p.m. ET, aiming to bounce back before starting a four-game road trip.

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Edited by Victor Ramon Galvez