It is also impressive that he plays forward and somehow manages to lead defensemen in scoring!
- Aetherial

You guys can piss on Karlsson all you want. You'd love to have him on your team and if you wouldn't then your sanity should be questioned.

It is also impressive that he plays forward and somehow manages to lead defensemen in scoring!
- Aetherial

Just like Bobby Orr did........... right?




March 17, 2012 When the greatest NHL defenceman of all-time watches Erik Karlsson, he is reminded of the best of the best ... guys like Larry Robinson, Serge Savard, Guy Lapointe, Denis Potvin, Paul Coffey and Ray Bourque.

Former Boston Bruins great Bobby Orr, No. 4, told the Ottawa Sun in an exclusive interview the sky is the limit for the 21-year-old Karlsson.

“I watch the Senators often,” said Orr, who turns 64 Tuesday and is president of the Orr Hockey Group that represents Jason Spezza. “I see a lot (in Karlsson). (Just) the way this kid skates. There’s nothing like a powerful skater. You can go back over the years: Coffey, (Bourque), Potvin ... these guys could motor. They had great speed.

“This kid has wonderful speed. Great, great hockey sense. He’s not big at all. Two games ago I looked at him and I thought, ‘Holy crap, he looks like a teenager,’ or maybe it’s me getting old. He’s not a huge kid, but he’s very intelligent and very smart on the ice.

“He positions himself well. He’s unbelievable and uncanny with the stick. He pokechecks, he’s got great reach and even just shooting from the point, he gets the puck on the net. “All the good teams that have won, they’ve all had that guy on the point: (Nicklas) Lidstrom, (Zdeno) Chara. In the old days with Robinson, Savard, Lapointe, Potvin and Coffey. He’s that kind of player. He is that important to the Senators.”

“He’ll get caught. I got caught. The players understand how he plays. They accept it. He’s fast enough to get back a lot of times. You have kids coming along where (the coach says) shoot the puck up the glass and shoot it in.

“The coach is letting (Karlsson) do it and since they’ve allowed him to do it, this kid has been unbelievable. But, let him do it. That’s how he is most effective. Is he gonna make mistakes? Yup. Is he gonna get caught? Yup. But the pluses are going to outweigh the minuses.

“There are probably some coaches who wouldn’t let him go like he does. They let me go. They let Coffey go. I couldn’t imagine playing any other way and I can’t imagine young Erik playing any other way, either.”

The biggest difference Orr has seen in Karlsson’s game is maturity.

“His whole game has changed. He’s probably more conscious of his own end than he’s ever been,” said Orr. “He gets to the puck, he gets the puck on his stick and there are no worries. That is the kind of player he is.

“The best defence is to get the puck and he gets it. He moves it as well as anybody. The forwards on Ottawa have to say, ‘Whew, that’s great, we know we’re going to get it. We know it’s coming.’ He was aware of his minus last year and he really made great strides in the defensive zone.”

“He’s 21 ... hello! He’s going to get bigger, stronger, faster and smarter, which will make him a better player,” said Orr.

The NHL has been blessed over the past decade with some incredibly talented players who will be remembered among the NHL's greats long after they retire, specifically Alex Ovechkin and Sidney Crosby.

Perhaps in the future, if all goes according to plan, 2015 rookies Connor McDavid and Jack Eichel will be talked about in the same way. They are the type of players who do not come along very often. Players who are so far above the rest of their peers that at times it's almost as if they are playing a different sport than everybody else.

They are the best players of their generation and define their era.

There is another player skating in the NHL right now that should be in that group, but doesn't get anywhere near the recognition or respect for just how rare his talents and how well he compares to the best that have ever played. That player: Ottawa Senators defenseman Erik Karlsson.

read it all at http://www.cbssports.com/...fenseman-since-bobby-orr/

You guys can piss on Karlsson all you want. You'd love to have him on your team and if you wouldn't then your sanity should be questioned.
- golfingsince

Well the leafs will be signing impending UFA Stamkos next month, and then Tavares in 2018 when he becomes a UFA ............... and then in 2019 when Karlsson becomes an UFA, the leafs sign him as well ............ then, and only then, will all the leaf fans here who bash him today, will say he's the greatest d Man of our time.

leaf fans?

Well the leafs will be signing impending UFA Stamkos next month, and then Tavares in 2018 when he becomes a UFA ............... and then in 2019 when Karlsson becomes an UFA, the leafs sign him as well ............ then, and only then, will all the leaf fans here who bash him today, will say he's the greatest d Man of our time.

leaf fans?
- D0PPELGANGER

If I were GM, I would honestly, truly, not sign Karlsson. He's not worth the salary he'll get, and you can't win a cup with him as your number 1 Dman. He's simply too much of a trainwreck in his own zone. Year, after year, after year, Ottawa gets scored on much more with him on the ice than they do without. Sens fans talk about how bad the team was on D, other than Karlsson. but the Goals against were significantly better without Karlsson on the ice. Goals against went down with defensive standouts like Jared Cowen and Patrick Wiercoch on the ice last year. These are guys that Sens fans refer to as AHL caliber Dman. How is a hockey team better defensively with players that their fanbase refers to as AHL caliber than they are when they have what they foolishly call a generational Dman?

If I were GM, I would honestly, truly, not sign Karlsson. He's not worth the salary he'll get, and you can't win a cup with him as your number 1 Dman. He's simply too much of a trainwreck in his own zone. Year, after year, after year, Ottawa gets scored on much more with him on the ice than they do without. Sens fans talk about how bad the team was on D, other than Karlsson. but the Goals against were significantly better without Karlsson on the ice. Goals against went down with defensive standouts like Jared Cowen and Patrick Wiercoch on the ice last year. These are guys that Sens fans refer to as AHL caliber Dman. How is a hockey team better defensively with players that their fanbase refers to as AHL caliber than they are when they have what they foolishly call a generational Dman?
- prock

Wow the player who lead the entire league in TOI, happens to be on the ice when goals are scored ................. who would have thought that?

BTW last Season his +/- was a minus 2, and the season before it was a plus 7 ................ so not as bad as you'd have us believe.

My favourite summer headline from a couple of years ago was "Wendell Clarkson." But, I think this year is the best overall for the blue kool aid. It seems everyone is going all in and more and more people are talking Stanley Cup. Once again we will be hearing Elvis singing to Leaf nation about a Blue Christmas.
- spatso

And you telling us how the Sens can contend. Every year.

This team is far closer to being a serious contender in the post season than some people might think.
- spatso

Red kool aid must be tasty too. Christmasy

And you telling us how the Sens can contend. Every year.



Red kool aid must be tasty too. Christmasy
- systemtool

Sens fans saying leaf fans talking about contending and such, too funny.

And you telling us how the Sens can contend. Every year.



Red kool aid must be tasty too. Christmasy
- systemtool

this quote was my favourite:

I love dong!!!
- spatso

and then there's this gem

the world is flat and all I can do is drool over my thhennatorstttttttthssthsthsthhssssssssssthhhhhh
- d0ppelganger

Wow the player who lead the entire league in TOI, happens to be on the ice when goals are scored ................. who would have thought that?

BTW last Season his +/- was a minus 2, and the season before it was a plus 7 ................ so not as bad as you'd have us believe.
- D0PPELGANGER

When looked at, as a rate per 60 minutes, they get scored on much more.

(frank) the sens.

Seriously

(frank) the sens.

Seriously
- Pecafan Fan

Serious bro.


Btw habs bounce back this year. Mark my words and much to my chagrin.

The NHL has been blessed over the past decade with some incredibly talented players who will be remembered among the NHL's greats long after they retire, specifically Alex Ovechkin and Sidney Crosby.

Perhaps in the future, if all goes according to plan, 2015 rookies Connor McDavid and Jack Eichel will be talked about in the same way. They are the type of players who do not come along very often. Players who are so far above the rest of their peers that at times it's almost as if they are playing a different sport than everybody else.

They are the best players of their generation and define their era.

There is another player skating in the NHL right now that should be in that group, but doesn't get anywhere near the recognition or respect for just how rare his talents and how well he compares to the best that have ever played. That player: Ottawa Senators defenseman Erik Karlsson.

read it all at http://www.cbssports.com/...fenseman-since-bobby-orr/
- D0PPELGANGER

Yet Doughty won

Serious bro.


Btw habs bounce back this year. Mark my words and much to my chagrin.
- systemtool

Price has to play 60 games though.

Serious bro.


Btw habs bounce back this year. Mark my words and much to my chagrin.
- systemtool

In other news, Doughty wins the Norris... lol

In other news, Doughty wins the Norris... lol
- Pecafan Fan

Norris trophy voting (1st place votes)
1 Drew Doughty, LAK1254 (93)
2 Erik Karlsson, OTT1020 (46)
3 Brent Burns, SJS 619 (3)

In other news, Doughty wins the Norris... lol
- Pecafan Fan

Makes sense.

Norris trophy voting (1st place votes)
1 Drew Doughty, LAK1254 (93)
2 Erik Karlsson, OTT1020 (46)
3 Brent Burns, SJS 619 (3)
- AGalchenyuk27

Erik Karlolsatdefense

Yet Doughty won
- AGalchenyuk27

Second is still pretty good .................. was PK nominated?

Second is still pretty good .................. was PK nominated?
- D0PPELGANGER

Not a Habs vs Sens thread

Not a Habs vs Sens thread
- AGalchenyuk27

Where does PK get dealt?

Where does PK get dealt?
- D0PPELGANGER

Edmonton

Edmonton
- AGalchenyuk27

who comes back the other way?

who comes back the other way?
- D0PPELGANGER

4th overall, Nurse and Hall

4th overall, Nurse and Hall
- AGalchenyuk27

And Montreal keeps their 9th overall pick?