YAY!!!!!!!!!!! Karlsson close to signing as per the Sun (UPDATE: DONE DEAL!!)

Hahaha, Im going to love Karlsson in Ottawa. Smaller guy that does everything... A bit of a loose screw with a secure head, I love it.

Neely4Life wrote:Hahaha, Im going to love Karlsson in Ottawa. Smaller guy that does everything... A bit of a loose screw with a secure head, I love it.

He's not far off in comparing himself to Kronwall. I'm just unconvinced that putting him in the NHL next season is the best way to go.

But let's see what the off-season does first. If by August he's really bulked up and improved his speed, I'd definitely re-evaluate that conclusion. Strength will help improve his defence.

I just think the next step for him is the NHL. The question has to be asked, is there anything left for him to learn in Sweden. Stopping a kids development can be just as costly as developing him too fast.

The wait and see approch though is prob the right one.

I hope they send Karlsson down to Bingo if he is not ready for top 4 minutes in the NHL. He is better served playing 20-25 in all situations in Bingo than 10-12 in Ottawa. I expect he would get up to speed quickly, so that when he is brought up, it is for good.

This is similar to what they did with Lee, who I think will be better next year. Don't forget Lee is still young. But if you can package him up for a top 6 forward, do it.

Kriss Russel is like 5-9 169lbs. I didnt see him get demolished by anybody... By September, Karlsson will be 6'0 180 lbs, no doubt about that. I have no problem playing him in the bottom pairing in the NHL for an entire season (Kid still needs to get comfortable playing a 82 game season). I also have no problem seeing him going back to the SEL. But I don't really like seeing him play in Bingo. I think the AHL is really not fast enough, and from what Ive seen of Karlsson, Taking quicker decisions would be more important to improve than physical play. Also, from the same argument that I said earlier, playing 25 min in a long AHL season could burn him.

Watching Karlsson play in the WJC, he seemed to be the most mature and confident of all the young d-men in the tournament.

My notes: sees the play extremely well; very crisp in his execution; technically superior; has an intelligent edge to his game.

Reminds me of Rafalski.

IMHO he would represent a major upgrade to the Senators' blueline, as in terms of pure talent, he is far and away superior to anyone they have now.

If the team and the fans can be patient...

I'll never forget the first game against Finland where I was expecting Karlsson to pinch in along the boards in the nutral zone to make a play, he LAYED the Finland kid out. I was shocked, that literally got me out of my seat.

What I noticed about Karlsson was he controlled the game, all other assets aside, the game revolved around his decision making when he was on the ice. Very Alfredson like.

Kid has a cannon too.

Yeah I was at that game too. Id say very Bouwmeester like, in terms of controlling the game.

marakh wrote:Yeah I was at that game too. Id say very Bouwmeester like, in terms of controlling the game.

So, forget J-Bo, we got one in the making, let's focus on the other needs...

marakh wrote:Kriss Russel is like 5-9 169lbs. I didnt see him get demolished by anybody... By September, Karlsson will be 6'0 180 lbs, no doubt about that. I have no problem playing him in the bottom pairing in the NHL for an entire season (Kid still needs to get comfortable playing a 82 game season). I also have no problem seeing him going back to the SEL. But I don't really like seeing him play in Bingo. I think the AHL is really not fast enough, and from what Ive seen of Karlsson, Taking quicker decisions would be more important to improve than physical play. Also, from the same argument that I said earlier, playing 25 min in a long AHL season could burn him.

Kris Russell's a better skater at this point than Karlsson is.

marakh wrote:Yeah I was at that game too. Id say very Bouwmeester like, in terms of controlling the game.

Karlsson is already MUCH better than Bouwmeester. Hope BM doesn't waste time and money chasing Jay.

Sweet! I just hope the Sens do what's best for Karlsson, and not the short term interests of the team, because I don't believe they are the same thing. He needs more seasoning and an adjustment will have to be made to the NHL length of schedule. A deep playoff run would mean close to 100 games. I don't know if he's ready for a full year in the NHL.

Neely4Life wrote:I'll never forget the first game against Finland where I was expecting Karlsson to pinch in along the boards in the nutral zone to make a play, he LAYED the Finland kid out. I was shocked, that literally got me out of my seat.

What I noticed about Karlsson was he controlled the game, all other assets aside, the game revolved around his decision making when he was on the ice. Very Alfredson like.

Kid has a cannon too.

sold....put him in the top 4, it might sound risky to play him with Kuba, but who better who teach the kid how to play at this level? A-Train and Big Rig are two different types of D-men, so really can't mentor him that much, so therefore we rely on Kuba to do so. BM has a real big issue with 10 or 11 d-men that possibly be vying for a spot come camp time in the summer.

By Allen Panzeri, The Ottawa Citizen

Now the waiting — and hoping —game begins.

Ottawa Senators general manager Bryan Murray is optimistic that Swedish defenceman Erik Karlsson, who was signed on Thursday to a three-year, entry-level contract, will be ready to play in the NHL by October.

An offensive defenceman is perhaps the club’s biggest need, and Karlsson’s presence in the lineup would at least begin to address the problem.

However, Murray doesn’t know for sure whether Karlsson, 18, for all his skill, will be able to handle the heavy traffic of the NHL. While undeniably talented, the team’s first-round pick — 15th overall — from last June’s draft is only 5-11 and 165 pounds. Out of uniform, he doesn’t look big enough to go out alone at night.

Still, Karlsson will be given every chance to make the team, Murray said.

The deal between the Senators and Karlsson was completed Thursday morning when the NHL gave its final approval. Because Karlsson played in Sweden, the NHL required documentation to show he had no further contractual obligation to Frölunda, his club team, said Craig Oster, his agent.

Oster said that was easy enough, but the more complicated matter, he said, is charting a developmental process for Karlsson.

The question that Murray, Oster and Karlsson worked to answer during negotiations was this: If Karlsson is not ready for the NHL, is it best for him to play in the American Hockey League, Canadian junior hockey or Sweden?

Given Karlsson’s potential, both sides agree that it’s crucial the right choices are made about his development.

“His head and hands are terrific, but the question is can he handle the everyday traffic in the NHL?” Murray said in a conference call from Switzerland, where he is watching the world championship.

“Certainly he’ll address a need for us if he can play right away,” Murray said of Karlsson, who had a strong finish to the season with Frölunda.

Oster said he wants to have all four options open through training camp, but, realistically it will be either the AHL or the NHL.

While Karlsson could return to Frölunda on loan, the Senators would lose control over his development and would also not have the ability to easily recall him from the AHL, while junior hockey would represent a step backward, given that Karlsson has already played successfully against men in Sweden.

One cushion for the Senators is that if Karlsson, who turns 19 on May 31, plays fewer than 10 games in the NHL, the clock does not begin ticking on his three-year NHL contract. Under terms of the two-way deal, even if he spends all season in the AHL, the clock does not begin ticking.

That is different than the scenario under which North American 19-year-old players find themselves. If they play fewer than 10 NHL games, they return to their junior teams and are not eligible to play in the AHL.

Karlsson will spend a least a portion of this summer in Ottawa, working on a training regimen and attending the annual development camp.

He said he won’t know if he’s up to playing in the NHL until he actually gets to play against some NHL players. But he can feel himself growing and getting stronger. “I’ve added a few pounds, but I can’t say how many,” he said in a conference call.
“I’m a lot stronger now.

“I’ll go over there and do the best I can. If it’s not enough, I’ll have to improve somewhere else.
“Time has to tell where I’ll play next year. I’ll know that sometime in September or October.”

NOTES: Murray said both sides in the Chris Neil negotiations have moved “a little bit, but not much,” and that a big gap remains. He didn’t sound hopeful that an agreement could be reached. That’ll mean Murray will be looking for two more forwards — one of them a top-six forward — when the free-agent frenzy begins on July 1. … Murray said the pickings are slim at the world championship, since many of the big-name free agents have already signed with Russian teams. But he said he has been intrigued by a couple of players and has approached the agent of at least one to gauge his interest in coming to Ottawa. … The Senators could come to training camp with a glut of defencemen, but Murray said the team will only carry seven. Murray said the club hasn’t yet made a decision on whether it wants to re-sign Brendan Bell.

well murray does have a lot of time to decide what to do with those d men he should try to use them as a way to move up i know a lot here arent a fan of shubert but having a guy who can play both forward and d is useful lee could be packaged to help get the peices we need..who knows dang i wish i knwo what was going on in murrays head

"Out of uniform, he doesn’t look big enough to go out alone at night."

Heh heh.

Beef it up boy.

There is now no question that Murray is gunning for a UFA winger apparently. Not sure who, but I think he knows. He has three in mind if what the whispering nerds are saying is true.

Again, not sure who.