News Article: Karlsson trade is the gift that keeps on giving for rebuilding Senators

[Sensfan4life]

Remember when Kings fans were claiming EK didn't deserve the Norris because he didn't kill penalties.
Erik is averaging 2:44 SH toi/gp on the #1 PK in the NHL.

 

[Silencio]

Gonna tell my kids this was Erik Karlsson

 

[The Lewler]

Masterful jinx thread . GOAT possibly

 

[PoutineSp00nZ]

Notoriously slow starter dealing with off-ice issues turning it around was always the more likely outcome than him being toast. That's not to say he's the same guy he was here, but he's still a supremely talented player who will continue to play the part of a #1 defenceman for the next few years at least.

You'd think people would learn to quit burying this guy after "bad" play in a 10-15 game sample size.

Doesnt karlsson always start off slow?

People seem desperate for him to fail for some reason

 

[aragorn]

IMO the first rd pick & Josh Norris will be the best pieces from the EK trade who should turn out to be an excellent player for Ottawa.

 

[JD1]

Remember when Kings fans were claiming EK didn't deserve the Norris because he didn't kill penalties.
Erik is averaging 2:44 SH toi/gp on the #1 PK in the NHL.

That may be but kings fans now have a lot more ammo on why EK doesnt deserve the Norrus at this point

 

[stempniaksen]

That may be but kings fans now have a lot more ammo on why EK doesnt deserve the Norrus at this point

They probably have enough to worry about with their own 11 million dollar man.

 

[BonkTastic]

People seem desperate for him to fail for some reason

Those people are almost a 1:1 correlation to people who feel the need to justify to themselves and others that every move Hockey Ops makes as a win for the organization, as though the Sens are incapable of making a bad move. It's part of the Hockey Fan 101 lessons: your team is always better than other teams, objectivity be damned.

If it were a Venn diagram, those two groups would form an almost singular, perfect circle.

 

[JD1]

They probably have enough to worry about with their own 11 million dollar man.

Their guy never deserved the Norris he has in the first place

 

[JD1]

Those people are almost a 1:1 correlation to people who feel the need to justify to themselves and others that every move Hockey Ops makes as a win for the organization, as though the Sens are incapable of making a bad move. It's part of the Hockey Fan 101 lessons: your team is always better than other teams, objectivity be damned.

If it were a Venn diagram, those two groups would form an almost singular, perfect circle.

You're in the wrong place if you are looking for objectivity.

 

[BonHoonLayneCornell]

Remember when Kings fans were claiming EK didn't deserve the Norris because he didn't kill penalties.
Erik is averaging 2:44 SH toi/gp on the #1 PK in the NHL.

When he was on and at his best, he was arguably one of our best dmen in our own zone. His feet and his stick made up for his size. The defensive shortcomings were quite often overplayed or obviously attributed to injury imo.

 

[stempniaksen]

When he was on and at his best, he was arguably one of our best dmen in our own zone. His feet and his stick made up for his size. The defensive shortcomings were quite often overplayed or obviously attributed to injury imo.

People calling him "bad" in his own end are people that have a very traditional way of how to defend, imo. They see a smaller guy who doesn't knock people over and just assume he's floating around back there. Obviously that wasn't the case because EK was one of the best (in the history of the team, imo) at getting his stick in the lane and blocking off passes. Just people being stuck or set in their ways and now realizing the game has evolved beyond traditional bruisers.

He was also quite bad at clearing out the front of the net (probably his biggest weakness, imo) and people can easily point to that as some kind of major flaw without realizing that it's a minimal problem in the grand scheme of things given everything else he could/can do at both ends.

 

[BonkTastic]

You're in the wrong place if you are looking for objectivity.

Sadly, this is the most I've agreed with a post in weeks.

 

[BonHoonLayneCornell]

People calling him "bad" in his own end are people that have a very traditional way of how to defend, imo. They see a smaller guy who doesn't knock people over and just assume he's floating around back there. Obviously that wasn't the case because EK was one of the best (in the history of the team, imo) at getting his stick in the lane and blocking off passes. Just people being stuck or set in their ways and now realizing the game has evolved beyond traditional bruisers.

He was also quite bad at clearing out the front of the net (probably his biggest weakness, imo) and people can easily point to that as some kind of major flaw without realizing that it's a minimal problem in the grand scheme of things given everything else he could/can do at both ends.

You've articulated it well. The second paragraph was why he worked so well with Methot, he didn't have to do most of the dirty work and could focus on his game. Things really fell apart the year they lost Methot, but obviously a lot of that was due to EK's recovery.

 

[JD1]

People calling him "bad" in his own end are people that have a very traditional way of how to defend, imo. They see a smaller guy who doesn't knock people over and just assume he's floating around back there. Obviously that wasn't the case because EK was one of the best (in the history of the team, imo) at getting his stick in the lane and blocking off passes. Just people being stuck or set in their ways and now realizing the game has evolved beyond traditional bruisers.

He was also quite bad at clearing out the front of the net (probably his biggest weakness, imo) and people can easily point to that as some kind of major flaw without realizing that it's a minimal problem in the grand scheme of things given everything else he could/can do at both ends.

I don't think that's overly true at all....in terms of having a very traditional view of how to defend. I think it takes Karlsson a ton of effort and focus to defend. He's clearly capable of being very good at it and at times in his career he's demonstrated that. However, i don't think he's overly interested in being really good at it, defending is just something that has to happen until his side can corral the puck and he can switch gears to offensive mode. As his interest in defending fluctuates he becomes good or bad at it, depending on his interest level. IMO its actually quite remarkable that he can do that, but he clearly can.

 

[Sensfan4life]

I don't think that's overly true at all....in terms of having a very traditional view of how to defend. I think it takes Karlsson a ton of effort and focus to defend. He's clearly capable of being very good at it and at times in his career he's demonstrated that. However, i don't think he's overly interested in being really good at it, defending is just something that has to happen until his side can corral the puck and he can switch gears to offensive mode. As his interest in defending fluctuates he becomes good or bad at it, depending on his interest level. IMO its actually quite remarkable that he can do that, but he clearly can.

The "not physical, therefore not good defensively" bias is 100% real.

 

[Sensfan4life]

Beauty goal and an assist last night. EK is now 2nd in icetime on the #1 PK in the NHL and leads the Sharks in blocks. He is at .75 points per game and has sparked the Sharks recent hot play.

Looks like the slow start had a lot more to do with the major distraction of his child's premature birth than the "decline" that so many here were gleefully claiming.

 

[Sens]

And EK always starts slow to going into Domination mode by December

 

[danielpalfredsson]

Defense is usually an afterthought for EK because he is almost always controlling the game when he is on the ice.

Of course, I'm talking about regular EK. Not the injured one we saw for portions here, or the one that San Jose saw to start this and last season.

 

[bert]

And EK always starts slow to going into Domination mode by December

Was easily predictable San Jose would get going. I got ripped on here for saying they would.

 

[Ice-Tray]

Then a lower body injury in the new year, and the cycle continues...

 

[BonHoonLayneCornell]

Then a lower body injury in the new year, and the cycle continues...

Or he could be like Crosby and get over some rough times to go on dominating long term again.

 

[Ice-Tray]

Or he could be like Crosby and get over some rough times to go on dominating long term again.

Or Alfie....

 

[BonHoonLayneCornell]

Or Alfie....

Exactly.

 

[armani]

Man that Scanlan jinx article killed the SJ tank pipe dream. Holy premature ejaculation 5 games in!