Erik Karlsson (Part 3)

[LeftHeartInSF]

Lidstrom was like the greatest driver of the past 30 years, but Burns and Karlsson are like the world's best engines of the last decade.

Put Lidstrom in a great car, that already has a great engine (Yzerman, Fedorov, Datsyuk, Zetterberg) and he's going to be lethal. But, even an average driver in a car with a great engine can put on a show.

Exactly, he always had a high octane talented offense as well as great coaching.

 

[TomasHertlsRooster]

Lidstrom was like the greatest driver of the past 30 years, but Burns and Karlsson are like the world's best engines of the last decade.

Put Lidstrom in a great car, that already has a great engine (Yzerman, Fedorov, Datsyuk, Zetterberg) and he's going to be lethal. But, even an average driver in a car with a great engine can put on a show.

This was my argument when people said Burns/Karlsson were not as dominant as Lidstrom, citing Lidstrom’s superior defense and comparable offensive totals. But Lidstrom, offensively, was not anywhere near on par with Karlsson or Burns.

Now, I’m not saying Burns/Karlsson are better as a whole. But offensively, they do much more than Lidstrom, and any other defenseman that I have ever seen.

 

[one2gamble]

Yay vlasic!

 

[seroes]

It's fair to question now if every defenseman on our team will score a goal before karlsson

 

[NiWa]

He looked good against the Leafs tonight.

 

[CorrectOpinion]

I watched a bit of the game and I thought Karlsson looked pretty good out there tonight. He had that drive the game poise that he is known for a few times out there. I don't think you Sharks fans have to worry.

 

[Karl Prime]

7 points through the first 18 games. 3 in the last 2. Why do I get the sense he's going to put up 20 his next 20? Feels like he's really starting to get comfortable with the puck and playing with his teammates.

I also find it funny people bring up +/- still as if goals against is the only factor in that. If EK had 20 points right now and not 10, his +/- would probably be four or five points better, assuming 4-6 of those would be PP. (And also if he had a good oiSH% for the first part of the season.) Not to mention he's -7, not -9 if you take out empty netters for and against. His oiSV% is awful, which, yes, he has a part in, but don't act like he's the sole reason for that (Doughty's career oiSV% is 91.8, EK's is 90.8, and Doughty has had Quick his entire career and a strong defensive team).

All of this is to basically say that by the end of the season Karl will most likely have 55-65 points and should be a major asset come 2019 if he can find 80% of that 16-17 regular season form, let alone playoff form. (Jones has to be better though, obviously, for that to matter.)

 

[TomasHertlsRooster]

He was easily our best player tonight. We need more of that going forward.

 

[PatrikBerglund]

I appreciate you love Karlsson, but if you are failing to see the excellence Burns has been delivering on both sides of the ice so far this year, you are really, really missing out!

Burns defensive game is well below average in this league.

Not sure how anyone can argue otherwise.

And I used to like Karlsson, but after injuries and surgeries, his game has fallen quite far from what it used to be.

 

[TomasHertlsRooster]

Burns defensive game is well below average in this league.

Not sure how anyone can argue otherwise.

And I used to like Karlsson, but after injuries and surgeries, his game has fallen quite far from what it used to be.

If you don’t even like Karlsson, and you are just here to troll us regarding Burns, why don’t you go elsewhere? You’re providing nothing valuable to the discussion. You’ve already admitted you don’t watch very many games and you haven’t provided any sort of reasoning to why Burns is terrible defensively. You’ve been provided with plenty of arguments as to why that is entirely inaccurate and you’ve ignored them at every turn. Go try and stir the pot in the main boards.

 

[Pinkfloyd]

Burns defensive game is well below average in this league.

Not sure how anyone can argue otherwise.

And I used to like Karlsson, but after injuries and surgeries, his game has fallen quite far from what it used to be.

That last line is actually proof that you never liked Karlsson. You just liked his ability to play a game. People like you don't view these people as actual people.

 

[PatrikBerglund]

That last line is actually proof that you never liked Karlsson. You just liked his ability to play a game. People like you don't view these people as actual people.

I like/love him as a person, but that's not the same thing as being in awe of his abilities on the ice - which I am not anymore.

 

[danielpalfredsson]

Another good game by EK, with the caveat that he is playing a different style, more conservative, rarely jumping into the plays in transition or playing deep in the o-zone.

I wish I was watching his games earlier on so I could have the context to understand if he was playing this conservatively earlier on, because in one of the first games of his I watched in San Jose, he certainly wasn't. He was forcing things trying to play like a rover and it was resulting in a lot of bad turn overs because the support wasn't there in San Jose's system for that kind of play.

His gap control was really bad in the third on that turn over that lead to a breakaway and and off the post shot by Toronto. The short handed goal in the second I guess he could have stopped it by playing it a bit more conservative and anticipating the turn over, but it wasn't entirely his fault, rather it I'd put more of the blame on the skater who made the initial give away.

To me, it seems like he is being used as a perfectly effective defenseman, but I think it's a bit of a shame that he's being neutered. He's been excellent in his own zone the last two games and in transition. I don't know, I'm bad with analogies, but to me it's like buying a race car and then only using it for grocery shopping. Is it amazing for grocery shopping? Sure. But it's a freakin race car. Go race people with it.

Yeah, I'm bad at analogies.

 

[NiWa]

@danielpalfredsson From my perspective, we have to also see some additional factors. It's must be obvious to the team that the defensive side of game has been struggling for the Sharks. Goalies, defensive system/positioning for both D & FWDs, leading to way too many breakaways.

EK seems to want to help fixing that first for now. He knows that once that is addressed it'll be much easier to go back to being an offensive juggernaut. I like that approach, we are not losing games because EK isn't scoring goals, it's because our defensive system is being exploited far too frequently.

 

[RickyHP]

Another good game by EK, with the caveat that he is playing a different style, more conservative, rarely jumping into the plays in transition or playing deep in the o-zone.

I wish I was watching his games earlier on so I could have the context to understand if he was playing this conservatively earlier on, because in one of the first games of his I watched in San Jose, he certainly wasn't. He was forcing things trying to play like a rover and it was resulting in a lot of bad turn overs because the support wasn't there in San Jose's system for that kind of play.

His gap control was really bad in the third on that turn over that lead to a breakaway and and off the post shot by Toronto. The short handed goal in the second I guess he could have stopped it by playing it a bit more conservative and anticipating the turn over, but it wasn't entirely his fault, rather it I'd put more of the blame on the skater who made the initial give away.

To me, it seems like he is being used as a perfectly effective defenseman, but I think it's a bit of a shame that he's being neutered. He's been excellent in his own zone the last two games and in transition. I don't know, I'm bad with analogies, but to me it's like buying a race car and then only using it for grocery shopping. Is it amazing for grocery shopping? Sure. But it's a freakin race car. Go race people with it.

Yeah, I'm bad at analogies.

not a bad analogy at all, you're pretty damn accurate with that one lol

 

[TheWayToRefJose]

I'm still just amazed DW somehow landed Erik Karlsson for no major roster players. Yea, he hasn't been as good as we all hoped yet, but it'll come eventually.

It was great how happy Kane was for EK69 when he scored. Let the flood gates open.

 

[Karl Prime]

A goal, an assist, 4 shots, 2 hits, 3 blocks, 1 takeaway.

Not a bad night. Slowly but surely he's looking more and more comfortable.

 

[Jwec]

I think Blues game was Karlsson's best in teal. Looks like he perhaps has settled more and his play look like this rest of the season. Also I like that he enjoys to hang out with other guys and seems to have fun so I think re-signing him could be more likely.

I don't see anywhere else better place for him to sign than us. Tampa definitely won't have space and there is no other team who would be as close to the cup as we do who would have the space for EK. Sucks that I don't know how the heck we could keep Pavs if Karlsson re-signs but if Pavs will score about 40 goals he definitely is going to get over 8-million/year contract.

 

[LA Shark]

Lol

Also wasn't it Gackle who tweeted in defense of DW when he wasn't in on ROR, cause he said we should be going after game changers...like Erik Karlsson.

 

[Alaskanice]

I'm still just amazed DW somehow landed Erik Karlsson for no major roster players. Yea, he hasn't been as good as we all hoped yet, but it'll come eventually.

It was great how happy Kane was for EK69 when he scored. Let the flood gates open.

This.
It sometimes gets lost on some that DW has the ability to bring these top line players to this team.
He knows the excitement these players bring to the casual fans.
We have an amazing GM, who has made us relevant, as a team for a very long time.

 

[hohosaregood]

Would've loved to have gotten ROR too. He's amazinh

 

[one2gamble]

That gackle question is stupid

 

[hohosaregood]

That gackle question is stupid

Gackle is worse than Kurz. At least Kurz can write a story.

 

[Sysreq]

I think Blues game was Karlsson's best in teal. Looks like he perhaps has settled more and his play look like this rest of the season. Also I like that he enjoys to hang out with other guys and seems to have fun so I think re-signing him could be more likely.

I don't see anywhere else better place for him to sign than us. Tampa definitely won't have space and there is no other team who would be as close to the cup as we do who would have the space for EK. Sucks that I don't know how the heck we could keep Pavs if Karlsson re-signs but if Pavs will score about 40 goals he definitely is going to get over 8-million/year contract.

If anything, I would suspect the “adjustment period” would make him hessitant to go through that again with a new team. I do think he is genuinely enjoying the guys. From they Jumbo goal, to his rush to get to Burns after his first, I think he is having a good time here.

 

[matt trick]

Gackle is worse than Kurz. At least Kurz can write a story.

I've got to say, I've been pretty impressed by Kurz's content for The Athletic. Some good insight, nice writing ability, ect. That being said, he acts like such a delta bravo on Twitter, that it makes him really, really difficult to like.