Erik Karlsson has been on the ice for 11/13 goals against so far this series.

[gretskidoo]

I texted a GM buddy when Karlsson was rumored to be traded.

Me-"You looking at AK?"
GM-"Nope, AK is the pretty girl you bring to the dance, but not the one you take home"

The real question is who AK is.

Why are people raging on the guy with 7 points in 5 games who is clearly playing injured?

A certain type of less than smart fans around here have been obsessed with shitting on Karlsson for like 5 years now. He took a dump on their girlfriends or something.

 

[PatrikBerglund]

A certain type of less than smart fans around here have been obsessed with ****ting on Karlsson for like 5 years now. He took a dump on their girlfriends or something.

That's not it.

Remember Karlsson's "I'm not God" comment, a few years back?

People just expect SO much from him after seeing him completely taking all games over, in the past.

Now that he isn't anywhere close to that level anymore, people make the comparison to what he used to be, and come to the conclusion that he is horrible.

Which he honestly has been at times.

 

[Star Ocean]

This guy needs to play RW, he’s not a d man nor he’s trying to be one

And Kucherov needs to go back to russia. He doesnt care about playoffs. Garbage player.

 

[JAS 39 Gripen]

Sigh. Kids these days.

 

[Cyborg Yzerberg]

He looks very injured out there. But everyone who has an axe to grind with Karlsson or feel inadequate comparing their defenseman to him will have a smart comment about this, as evidence by about a third of the comments in this thread.

 

[Chimpradamus]

His defense is god awful. Have you not watched him play "defense" in the regular season or the these past 5 playoff games? He's awful at it. Putting up points doesn't make you a better defenseman. But apparently that is the benchmark for winning a Norris these days instead of a blend of the two.

His offense is amazing, no one is disputing that. He's clearly the fourth forward on ice for SJ.

2012 called, it wants your opinion back.

 

[ViD]

And Kucherov needs to go back to russia. He doesnt care about playoffs. Garbage player.

I think you mad brah

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

The thing that has surprised me the most about Karlsson is that a lot of the mistakes he has made have been mental. I can understand playing injured and being slow or unwilling to battle but I don't get the dumb plays.

When your mind is writing checks that your body can't currently cash I think it can have that effect.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

Karlsson had 2 assists and +3 tonight.

But one thing that stood out for me.

In the past it was always easy to spot Karl on the ice as he had a unique way of skating - that always differentiated him from all other players.

These days he looks very mundane and almost awkward on the ice.

If it is his heel, damaged foot, Cookes slice or the torn groin, who knows, but all movement looks forced and unnatural.

Sad to see a talent like that struggle doing what he usually did so naturally and gracefully.

Can tell he's having to think about skating rather than acting on instinct right now

 

[Robsker]

It’s because he doesn’t give a flying **** about this season. His goal to get it over with ASAP so he can go get wined and dined by GMs before signing a big contract.

He’s shown he doesn’t care about anything but attention and money. Maybe he was great back in the day but the current Karlsson is not worth what he’ll get.

How do we know the goals of a player and their motives? Has EK said he could care less and is concerned only with his hair and his money? How can you know another persons motives with any accuracy at all?

All I know is his skating in general, his quickness, his edge work and his whole game is very compromised and this is most likely owing to his multiple injuries. I have no notion of what his motives or desires are. he is hurt and compromised. He is, when healthy very good defensively and great offensively and by any measure no less than one of the top 3 in the world. Injured and hacking through as he is now... he is a shadow of himself.

 

[Midnight Judges]

ive seen him stay on the ice for 8 of the last 10 minutes of a 1 goal playoff lead and utterly dominate defensively. multiple times.

hes far from that right now but lets not pretend it never happened.

What games were those?

 

[foggyvisor]

I texted a GM buddy when Karlsson was rumored to be traded.

No you didn't.

 

[SabresSharks]

I didn't realize just how much irrational hatred Karlsson attracts until he started playing with the Sharks. I'll enjoy watching his marvelous play after a summer of healing, no matter who signs him.

 

[Sensin5]

I didn't realize just how much irrational hatred Karlsson attracts until he started playing with the Sharks. I'll enjoy watching his marvelous play after a summer of healing, no matter who signs him.

People conveniently forget his total dominance in Nov/Dec after figuring out how to fit with Sharks system. LIkely only time he was actually feeling healthy. Clearly injured at moment but the level of bile and invective is typical. Get used to it.

 

[Star Ocean]

I think you mad brah

You are just upset that russia doesnt have a d man of karlssons stature.

 

[SabresSharks]

People conveniently forget his total dominance in Nov/Dec after figuring out how to fit with Sharks system. LIkely only time he was actually feeling healthy. Clearly injured at moment but the level of bile and invective is typical. Get used to it.

He was absolutely brilliant during that stretch, a pure pleasure to watch.

I don't think we've seen him and the Sharks operating at maximum synergy. There were still plays where he'd be unseen breaking into the clear for a pass, or one of his area passes would baffle an unexpecting teammate. He simply thinks and plays the game on a different level than the vast majority of players. It's difficult to weave his unique skill set into a team's fabric.

 

[bdub24]

It's his groin. Hope it is healing but playing 30 min a night probably isn't helping.

It just hasn't got the same attention it was used to by the Canadian media since his relo to SJS?

 

[fasterthanlight]

I love how HF went from: "Erik Karlsson is a top 3 player, and Burns is a scrub" to "Erik Karlsson is a shell of his former self, and Burns is a srcub" because of a very obvious groin injury and the fact that SJ is not OTT

 

[Levie]

I love how HF went from: "Erik Karlsson is a top 3 player, and Burns is a scrub" to "Erik Karlsson is a shell of his former self, and Burns is a srcub" because of a very obvious groin injury and the fact that SJ is not OTT

I'd rather have a defenseman like Giordano. He wouldn't be down in a series. He'd also have more points than Karlsson and Burns and be a + player.

 

[Mafoofoo]

I'd rather have a defenseman like Giordano. He wouldn't be down in a series. He'd also have more points than Karlsson and Burns and be a + player.

Agreed. He’s essentially Lidstrom 2.0 except better.

 

[fasterthanlight]

I'd rather have a defenseman like Giordano. He wouldn't be down in a series. He'd also have more points than Karlsson and Burns and be a + player.

Right??? I'd swap Karlsson and Burns one-for-one for like... either Letang or Hedman. True playoff performers who never get injured.

 

[wraith985]

True fact: Drew Doty is undefeated in these playoffs.

 

[ViD]

You are just upset that russia doesnt have a d man of karlssons stature.

We can put someone like Radulov on D and it’d be about the same

 

[WiLBoY]

Everyone is injured in it he playoffs. The problem is he isn't free around to roam anymore and has to play in an actual system unlike in Ottawa. Hence why McDavid wouldn't necessarily succeed more also in a better team

 

[Coastal Kev]

Hockey is the only sport where their fans, GM's, Media all crap on stars while on the other hand, prop up scrubs with heart.

Get rid of the puck and add a ball, maybe that will knock some sense into the rest of you.