Carlsson sat out Sunday's game in New Jersey as the Ducks continue to take a cautious approach with his workload and avoid playing him on back-to-back nights. The 2023 second-overall pick has eight goals and six assists across the first 21 games of his NHL career.
Karlsson will get the night off Friday vs. Florida as Anaheim continues the 18-year-old's load management plan. The Ducks' star prospect has been sensational in his first NHL season, with six goals, two assists, 23 SOG, four PIMs and a -3 plus/minus through 11 games played.
This is presumably just a chance for Carlsson to rest as the Ducks have stated they plan on managing his workload early in the season. The 2023 second-overall pick is off to a great start to his rookie season, piling up six goals and two assists in his first ten games. Look for Carlsson to return to the lineup for Wednesday's game in Colorado.
Carlsson returns to the Ducks lineup on Thursday after sitting out the last two games as the team attempts to ease his workload early in the season. The has a goal, six SOG, two PIMs, and a +2 plus/minus in two games thus far in 2023-24 while playing over 20 minutes a night.
Carlsson is expected to occasionally sit out as he acclimates to the NHL and will not be in the Ducks' lineup Tuesday as they take on the Columbus Blue Jackets. It is a bit of a letdown as fans will have to wait to see the 2023 second-overall pick take on Adam Fentilli (2023 third-overall pick). Carlsson has a goal, six SOG, two PIMs, and a +2 plus/minus in two games thus far in 2023-24 while averaging an impressive 20:16 TOI.
The Ducks said the move is not performance based as they are aiming to ease the 18-year-old's workload early in the season. The second overall pick in last summer's NHL Entry Draft has impressed in his two games so far this season. He's scored one goal on six shots on goal and is playing over 20 minutes a night, so it perhaps shouldn't be a surprise that Anaheim is expressing caution by sitting their budding superstar on the tail-end of a back-to-back. Fantasy managers can expect Carlsson to return the lineup for Tuesday's game in Columbus.
Karlsson had been forced to miss Anaheim's first two games of the season due to a lower-body injury but will make his debut Thursday vs. Dallas. The 18-year-old forward was the second overall pick in the 2023 draft after watching his stock skyrocket throughout the season. He had 10 goals, 15 assists, six PIMs and a -5 plus/minus in 44 games with Orebro HK (SHL) in 2022-23.
This is a promising sign as Carlsson looks poised to make his NHL debut imminently. Carlsson was the second overall pick for the Ducks in the 2023 NHL Entry Draft after scoring 25 points (10G / 15A) as an 18-year-old in the Swedish Hockey League. The talented young center will likely slide into a top-6 role when he is deemed fit to play.
