Speculation: Could Karlsson come back to Ottawa?

[bert]

Oh, I agree he's probably gone when new ownership takes over and he should have some limitations on what he can do. But why is there talk of Karlsson coming back if Dorion is a lame duck? That's a much bigger financial decision than extending Zub.

Assen na yo!

Because its not happening and people need clicks. Rumors like that are going to get the sens fanbase involved. Look were talking about it right now.

 

[Cosmix]

From the article comes one of the dumbest tendencies in Norris voting:

"With the Sharks stuck at the bottom of the standings, it’s going to be hard for voters to cast a ballot for a player whose team is on a path toward landing a lottery pick in next year’s draft. But all of that changes if he gets traded to a contender, like Toronto or Tampa Bay or the New York Rangers."

So, he's a top candidate for the Norris if he plays the final 20 games of the season for Tbay or NYR, but to to cast a vote for if he stays in SJ. Same player, 75% of the season is exactly the same, but we can't vote him as the best Dman in the league if the rest of his team sucks...

Dregger was an ass!

 

[cudi]

Dregger was an ass!

still is!

 

[Cosmix]

Oh, I agree he's probably gone when new ownership takes over and he should have some limitations on what he can do. But why is there talk of Karlsson coming back if Dorion is a lame duck? That's a much bigger financial decision than extending Zub.

Assen na yo!

The Senators exec could have a leash on Dorion and require exec approval for any trades. I doubt it happens but I have doubted other things happening (eg. Giroux acquisition).

 

[Agent Zub]

There is a far better chance the sens keep Zub and don't get Karlsson. Why is Ottawa losing Zub exactly?....

We should assume Zub is gone ever since Dorion underpaid him on the 2 year and pencilled in Thomson and JBD as replacements.

It would be a nice surprise if he stays, but it does not seem like it will go that way.

And if that happens there will be a crippling crater sized hole in a position that is already our weakest.

Are we really going to commit 9m to DBC when we can get one of the greatest RDs and passers ever for 8/9m?

 

[Ice-Tray]

The Senators exec could have a leash on Dorion and require exec approval for any trades. I doubt it happens but I have doubted other things happening (eg. Giroux acquisition).

Lol, so we want a three person board with zero hockey evxeprience making the final calls on trades now?

No, Dorion likely has full abilities to run the team as usual. Signing Zub is a two way street, and there is a lot to gain by Zub to test the market before signing with the Sens.

Dorion’s trades and signings have been pretty good lately, not sure why there is panic about letting him do more. To me it looks like the biggest issue has been guys that he hasn’t traded for.

 

[bert]

We should assume Zub is gone ever since Dorion underpaid him on the 2 year and pencilled in Thomson and JBD as replacements.

It would be a nice surprise if he stays, but it does not seem like it will go that way.

And if that happens there will be a crippling crater sized hole in a position that is already our weakest.

Are we really going to commit 9m to DBC when we can get one of the greatest RDs and passers ever for 8/9m?

I dont think that makes sense. If Ottawa has the strongest bid why wouldnt he stay? They gave him his chance, the fanbase loves him the team is on the upswing. Karlsson is an amazing player but who is going to take the hard matchups on the sens if they have him Sanderson and Chabot. You need hard players to play against if you want to win anything substantial.

 

[BonHoonLayneCornell]

I dont think that makes sense. If Ottawa has the strongest bid why wouldnt he stay? They gave him his chance, the fanbase loves him the team is on the upswing. Karlsson is an amazing player but who is going to take the hard matchups on the sens if they have him Sanderson and Chabot. You need hard players to play against if you want to win anything substantial.

Can we assume we'll have the highest bid though? When players make it to market they usually leave. I would hope for the best but heading in to the summer unsigned will not give much confidence and odds would not be in our favor.

Dorion has touched on the difficulty of getting players to waive to Ottawa, and he likely knows now where he stands with Zub and Cat. Even if its not the right fit, the Karlsson noise, if any truth to it of course, has to be predicated on Dorion feeling like Zub and/or Cat is leaving and just how hard it is to find RD replacements. Surely by now he knows JBD and Thomson aren't about to just step in and flourish anytime soon.

 

[Agent Zub]

I dont think that makes sense. If Ottawa has the strongest bid why wouldnt he stay? They gave him his chance, the fanbase loves him the team is on the upswing. Karlsson is an amazing player but who is going to take the hard matchups on the sens if they have him Sanderson and Chabot. You need hard players to play against if you want to win anything substantial.

yes we need a Zub type, he was custom made for this roster. however even if we manage to sign him that still leaves a hole at RD, and if we don't that's two holes at RD that cripple the team to irrelevancy. How can we for sure solve that?

And Sanderson-Karlsson would be an incredible pairing that I would throw out against anyone without fear. heck they would bring the fear. Sanderson will increasingly become a stud defensively and Karlsson has shown he can be great defensively especially when it matters. They might struggle in the net front but they are both such smart high iq defenceman it would be no surprise that teams have to worry more about being stuck in their own end than attacking ours.

Toews-Makar works and is one of the most dominant pairings on the planet. Sanderson and Karlsson has that same potential.

Sanderson-Karlsson
Chabot- Zub

would be ideal

but

Sanderson-Karlsson
Chabot-heavy
heavy-heavy

works as well.

 

[aragorn]

EK on this roster with Chabot, Sanderson & Brannstrom makes no sense, they would literally be the softest defence in the league. And once we lose Holden & Hamonic they will be even smaller & softer. They need mobile guys who are tougher to play against in the defensive zone & reduce the goals against. They have plenty of players who can put the puck in the net, they need better players who can stop the other team from scoring.

 

[BonHoonLayneCornell]

EK on this roster with Chabot, Sanderson & Brannstrom makes no sense, they would literally be the softest defence in the league. And once we lose Holden & Hamonic they will be even smaller & softer. They need mobile guys who are tougher to play against in the defensive zone & reduce the goals against. They have plenty of players who can put the puck in the net, they need better players who can stop the other team from scoring.

Id bet my house that Brannstrom is not a part of this team long term. Sanderson isn't soft either and looks to be more of a two way stud. Chabot could be called soft, but he's not a cupcake either.

 

[SensEnforcer]

JBD has some jam to his game, even dropped the mitts

 

[Agent Zub]

EK on this roster with Chabot, Sanderson & Brannstrom makes no sense, they would literally be the softest defence in the league. And once we lose Holden & Hamonic they will be even smaller & softer. They need mobile guys who are tougher to play against in the defensive zone & reduce the goals against. They have plenty of players who can put the puck in the net, they need better players who can stop the other team from scoring.

None of Chabot, Sanderson, Karlsson are soft come on. There's a lot more to being tough than crosschecking guys, these guys are born competitors.

I would argue they are a lot tougher than someone like Hamonic who i saw face plant himself into the boards because he was nervous about what to do with the puck.

Getting guys with size and physicality is the easy part. especially when all they will have to do is play a simple game.

 

[Micklebot]

Id bet my house that Brannstrom is not a part of this team long term. Sanderson isn't soft either and looks to be more of a two way stud. Chabot could be called soft, but he's not a cupcake either.

We lack a big physical guy long term, Zub is physical but not big, Sanderson might become more physical but again, not big.

I think you could build a D around Chabot, Sanderson and Karlsson, but you'd need to have some size and physicality to round out the group.

Could you add Karlsson and seone like Carlo or Mayfield? Or both if we can't get Zub extended?

Chabot-Karlsson
Sanderson-Mayfield/Zub
Brannstrom-Carlo

A D group like that likely costs us the flexibility required to re-sign DeBrincat, but it seems like a pretty strong group.

I don't think Karlsson is the answer, imo we'd get diminishing returns out of both Chabot and Sanderson by adding a player like Karlsson. I think we'd get better bang for our buck just adding those physical Dmen I mentioned

 

[BonHoonLayneCornell]

We lack a big physical guy long term, Zub is physical but not big, Sanderson might become more physical but again, not big.

I think you could build a D around Chabot, Sanderson and Karlsson, but you'd need to have some size and physicality to round out the group.

Could you add Karlsson and seone like Carlo or Mayfield? Or both if we can't get Zub extended?

Chabot-Karlsson
Sanderson-Mayfield/Zub
Brannstrom-Carlo

A D group like that likely costs us the flexibility required to re-sign DeBrincat, but it seems like a pretty strong group.

I don't think Karlsson is the answer, imo we'd get diminishing returns out of both Chabot and Sanderson by adding a player like Karlsson. I think we'd get better bang for our buck just adding those physical Dmen I mentioned

I think that has to be a part of the plan with or without Karlsson. We clearly need some jam and size back there and not just a guy barely holding down an NHL spot. I like all 3 names put forward, but it feels like a lot to fall in place in our favor.

I am still hoping something gets done with Zub since keeping him seems the most likely out of those. Then if they did decide on Karlsson they can hopefully insulate the 3rd pairing with getting someone whether its Carlo/Mayfield or someone else.

I look at the Karlsson thing as Dorion having a whole lot more information than us if it ever happened and just trying to add talent to the backend if he cant get the perfect fit. Things like who's leaving this summer, who is a realistic target, players not wanting to come to Canada/Ottawa, Karlsson's feelings/SJ's ask, etc.

 

[coladin]

He doesn't fit anymore. That ship has sailed

 

[Agent Zub]

He doesn't fit anymore. That ship has sailed

If EK had magically switched teams the last game and been setting up Stutzle, Brady, Cat, Giroux, Drake, Pinto, Sanderson, Chabot we would have won that game in a 8-1 route or something. The sharks wouldn't have left their own zone, I miss those days when Senators teams could do that.

But yea such a better fit to just circle the drain of irrelevancy in the basement of the standings I guess.

 

[BonHoonLayneCornell]

He doesn't fit anymore. That ship has sailed

These are just words. Could just as easily say he'd mesh in just fine on the ice and get along with the mates well. Nobody really knows how it would go.

 

[Cosmix]

We lack a big physical guy long term, Zub is physical but not big, Sanderson might become more physical but again, not big.

I think you could build a D around Chabot, Sanderson and Karlsson, but you'd need to have some size and physicality to round out the group.

Could you add Karlsson and seone like Carlo or Mayfield? Or both if we can't get Zub extended?

Chabot-Karlsson
Sanderson-Mayfield/Zub
Brannstrom-Carlo

A D group like that likely costs us the flexibility required to re-sign DeBrincat, but it seems like a pretty strong group.

I don't think Karlsson is the answer, imo we'd get diminishing returns out of both Chabot and Sanderson by adding a player like Karlsson. I think we'd get better bang for our buck just adding those physical Dmen I mentioned

I like big physical players who can play D well. I also like the D who can add to the offence too. Adding Karlsson would be great but we would still need 2 or 3 big D .

He doesn't fit anymore. That ship has sailed

It sailed once; however it could sail back. I doubt that it does though.

 

[Cosmix]

Lol, so we want a three person board with zero hockey evxeprience making the final calls on trades now?

No, Dorion likely has full abilities to run the team as usual. Signing Zub is a two way street, and there is a lot to gain by Zub to test the market before signing with the Sens.

Dorion’s trades and signings have been pretty good lately, not sure why there is panic about letting him do more. To me it looks like the biggest issue has been guys that he hasn’t traded for.

I suspect that, given the sale of the team, the exec will exert some control over Dorion's trades going forward.

 

[Ice-Tray]

I suspect that, given the sale of the team, the exec will exert some control over Dorion's trades going forward.

Naw, there’s no reason for that level of micromanaging. He has a budget and will be given free reign to work within it.

 

[Hale The Villain]

EK on this roster with Chabot, Sanderson & Brannstrom makes no sense, they would literally be the softest defence in the league. And once we lose Holden & Hamonic they will be even smaller & softer. They need mobile guys who are tougher to play against in the defensive zone & reduce the goals against. They have plenty of players who can put the puck in the net, they need better players who can stop the other team from scoring.

Brannstrom would likely be traded if we're adding EK, possibly in the same deal given that a PP QB spot would open up for San Jose.

We'd definitely want to focus on defensive D for the remaining 3 spots, but there's no question a big reason why we're giving up so many goals against is the defense's inability to move the puck consistently and EK would help tremendously in that regard.

Sanderson - EK
Chabot - Zub
Holden - UFA/trade
JBD/Thomson

That's a good looking D.

 

[Gil Gunderson]

It might not be on this current contract, but I'd be pretty surprised if he's played his last game in a Sens jersey. He'll be back one day.

 

[AchtzehnBaby]

He doesn't fit anymore. That ship has sailed

Sent him off the plank

 

[DueDiligence]

Are we really going to commit 9m to DBC when we can get one of the greatest RDs and passers ever for 8/9m?

He was once and he is having a renaissance this year. But who's to say he will remain playing this well for the next 4 1/2 years???