The 34-year-old Pittsburgh defender was team captain when Three Crowns took bronze in the World Championship in the Czech Republic last year. Karlsson was also involved when Sweden finished third in NHL's star-studded four-nation tournament Four Nations in Montreal and Boston in February this year.
Last NHL season, Erik Karlsson scored 11 goals and 42 assists, on 82 regular-season matches. His Pittsburgh missed the Stanley Cup playoffs and now it's not going to be any play with Three Crowns in the World Championship that takes place in Stockholm and Denmark later in May.
I'm very disappointed that I won't make it and wish I could give a different message. I wish the guys good luck and hope they win a World Championship gold for us on home soil, says Karlsson to Expressen.
Sweden starts the group play with a match against Avicii arena in the evening.
