Sorry to tell you mate but I'm not from California or a hardcore Shark fan. I'm a Swiss hockey fan following lots of teams including the Sens. Just because I'm probably following the Sharks the closest and just because I used to like the Sens a lot more a few years back doesn't mean that I'm not watching any Sens games. Karlsson played a lot but he did it alongside the teams most reliable defenseman, with tons of offensive zone starts and with others taking the toughest matchups whenever possible.
OF COURSE the best offensive defenceman in the universe gets more offensive zone starts, than defensive.
But the difference isn't as big as you make it out to be.
2017-2018 = 55/45%
2016-2017 = 53/47%
2015-2016 = 55/45%
2014-2015 = 53/47%
And he has pretty much always had the toughest match-ups the past 5 years. I have no idea how you could possibly have followed Ottawa extensively the past 5 years, and still maintain that he was super sheltered, being on the ice almost half of every game.
His biggest asset is and has always been to transport (in many ways) the puck out if his own zone cleanly, and as I showed you, his defensive zone starts were around 46%.
You are both statistically and objectically wrong.
I bet you spew mis-information about EK, to pump up the idea that Josi is better (?).
Let's see the defensive zone starts of the other elite defencemen.
Hedman: 46%
Doughty: 49% (48,6)
Burns: 38,5% (!)
Wonder who has been super sheltered.