There's no denying Karlsson's offensive ability. He's been elite and often above the rest of his peers.
This issue that I have with calling him the best for the last 5+ seasons now is when you're protecting a lead or matching up with an opposing top line.
Let's say you're up by a goal with a minute and a half left, does Karlsson even make the Top 25 list of defencemen that you'd choose to protect that lead in 11-12? What about 12-13? And so on.
I know Ottawa fans like to say that he's so much better defensively this season, but gun to my head that I have to matchup against Crosby or Kane for a series, there's probably at least 10 guys today that I'd choose from a defensive standpoint to take that assignment before Karlsson enters the conversation.
And despite how good he is offensively, I really struggle calling that type of player the best defencemen in the game for 5+ years.
Disagree. Because the NHL is putting so much emphasis on speed lately, Karlsson's speed neutralizes top players very well.
In games against the true top top forwards, Karlsson was very heavily line matched. He had a much lower TOI than usual in order to have him on the bench and ready to jump on the second one of those players jumped on.
Against Ottawa this season:
Ovechkin = 3GP: 0G 0A 0P -1
Crosby = 2GP: 1G 0A 1P 0
Last time the Sens were in the playoffs, in Game 4 against the Habs, down 0-3 in the series, and up 1-0 late in the game, Karlsson played all but ~10 seconds on the last entire 4 minutes of the game. I think the Habs only mustered one shot, and the Sens won 1-0.
The whole "You don't want Karlsson on protecting a lead late in a game in the playoffs" thing is nothing but pure myth. He's always on the ice in those situations, and he's phenomenal at it.