The Erik "Kid" Karlsson appreciation thread

Loving Erik The Red's game these days. Disgusting skill set, DIRECTLY leads to winning games all the time. Beautiful passes on the PP, outlet passes = gold.

Two 3 point games in a week. This kid has officially arrived.

SpezDispenser wrote:Loving Erik The Red's game these days. Disgusting skill set, DIRECTLY leads to winning games all the time. Beautiful passes on the PP, outlet passes = gold.

Two 3 point games in a week. This kid has officially arrived.

Karlsson had a 2-point game last night... his assist on Spezza's goal was given to Alfie later on.

http://twitter.com/NHL_Sens/status/11366025878

Aflie had a 4-point night (4 assists).

NHL box score: http://www.nhl.com/ice/boxscore.htm?id=2009021136

Still though... the kid is looking better and better.

shabbs wrote:

SpezDispenser wrote:Loving Erik The Red's game these days. Disgusting skill set, DIRECTLY leads to winning games all the time. Beautiful passes on the PP, outlet passes = gold.

Two 3 point games in a week. This kid has officially arrived.

Karlsson had a 2-point game last night... his assist on Spezza's goal was given to Alfie later on.

http://twitter.com/NHL_Sens/status/11366025878

Aflie had a 4-point night (4 assists).

NHL box score: http://www.nhl.com/ice/boxscore.htm?id=2009021136

Still though... the kid is looking better and better.

Diddle man, I thought so. I thought I was mixing up the goals, but for sure it was Alfie to Cullen to Spezza. Still...

When do we sign him to a 50 year contract?

Not before the expiry of his ELC. Save some serious Cap $$$

marakh wrote:When do we sign him to a 50 year contract?

20 years, 100 million? I'd do it.

I still can't get over how good Karlsson is already. How scary is it to think that he JUST turned 19. That's scary Drew Doughty stuff right there. I know he's nowhere near his size, but the skill definitely is there.

Where did the nickname come from for him BTW?

Erik "Clutch' Karlsson would be good, but I guess that for Alfalfa.

I like Erik The Red for now- until it officially becomes King Karlsson or whatever it's gonna be.

SensGirl11 wrote:I still can't get over how good Karlsson is already. How scary is it to think that he JUST turned 19. That's scary Drew Doughty stuff right there. I know he's nowhere near his size, but the skill definitely is there.

Karlsson's offensive skillset is likely a couple of notches above Doughty's, for two reasons: 1. He's a far superior skater. 2. His shot is insane.

But Doughty almost certainly be the better overall defenseman because of his size and defensive abilities.

PKC wrote:
Karlsson's offensive skillset is likely a couple of notches above Doughty's, for two reasons: 1. He's a far superior skater. 2. His shot is insane.

But Doughty almost certainly be the better overall defenseman because of his size and defensive abilities.

Yeah, I was gonna say that I think Karlsson has the upper hand offensively, but not defensively obviously. Although Doughty has a destructive shot as well.

Karlsson's shot is good, but he needs to start actually using it. He only has 2 goals so far (I know, I know, room to improve, he's only 19)

Big Ev wrote:Karlsson's shot is good, but he needs to start actually using it. He only has 2 goals so far (I know, I know, room to improve, he's only 19)

I found he used it a fair bit earlier in the year and now has started to survey and pass. His shot is accurate as heck though and will surely result in a ton of assists from rebounds and tips.

Big Ev wrote:Karlsson's shot is good, but he needs to start actually using it. He only has 2 goals so far (I know, I know, room to improve, he's only 19)

Amen. Can Alfie play right-wing on the PP? Karlsson's got to slide over to the left to let go some one-timers. Bu the PP has been humming lately, so I guess "who cares".

Let's not worry too much. Maybe he'll unleash a few at some unsuspecting suckers in the playoffs.

Speaking of which, where's Neely? I seem to remember him saying the Sens have no shot against the Caps. Well, Elliott didn't have his best outing, A-Train and Michalek missing, and Kuba, well, Kuba. Winning one on the road is all we need.

Hey, who changed my title

marakh wrote:Hey, who changed my title

Was this the "Kocky Karlsson Appreciation Thread"? SpezD has been running around trying to get every one to start calling him Erik the Red.

My money would be on him.

So, obviously Karlsson's had a tumultous time defensively, but his offensive production of 6 points in 5 games has him tied with Gonchar, Doughty and J. Johnson for the playoff lead in defensive production (granted, DD and JJ have played only 4 games).

Although it's a very small sample size, I thought it'd be neat to compare Karlsson's body of playoff work with the illustrious (lol) playoff seasons compiled by other Senators defencemen. So, here are the notable performances from past playoffs (apologies for the untidyness, or if this has been done already):

Year Player Games Points
1996-1997: Duchesne 7 5
1996-1997: Redden 7 4
1997-1998: Kravchuk 11 5
1998-1999: Redden 4 3
1999-2000: Kravchuk/Salo/York 6 2
2000-2001: Phillips 1 1 - no other defenceman registers a point
2001-2002: Redden 12 5
2002-2003: Redden 18 9
2002-2003: Chara 18 7
2003-2004: Chara 7 2
2005-2006: Redden 9 10
2006-2007: Redden 20 10
2007-2008: Commodore 4 2

Although it's not an entirely fair analysis because you have to factor in calibre of team, calibre of opponent, and plain ol' differences in the NHL, there are some pretty readily available observations to be made:

First, at 19, Karlsson has (statistically speaking) so far provided a better offensive output pace-wise than any other defenceman in Senators' playoff history. The only two that come close are Phillips 1 point in 1 game (which is an even more ridiculous sample size to use) and Redden's 9 points in 10 games in 2005-2006. For the latter we might (selectively) point out that Redden was 28 at the time, and playing on the best offensive team in Senators (and post-lock-out) history.

Second, the comparable that Karlsson-denigrators like to use, Andrej Meszaros, is nowhere to be found on this list. His best post-season was in 2006-2007 when he had 7 points in 20 games (which is to say, 1 more point than EK in four times the number of games). All-told, he has accumulated an astonishing 9 points in 34 career playoff matches.

All of this is to say that Karlsson = awesome.

That's neat ASQ, good work!