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

By CHRIS STEVENSON, Sun Media
Last Updated: 7th May 2009, 1:46pm

As reported in today's Sun, the Senators have reached agreement with defenceman Erik Karlsson on an entry level contract. He was the club's top pick in the NHL entry draft last season.

Karlsson, 18 (he turns 19 at the end of the month), was picked 15th overall last summer. He completed his second season with the Frolunda HC Indians of the Swedish elite league this past season with five goals and five assists in 45 games.

Karlsson played for Sweden at the world junior championships here in Ottawa in December and January and was picked as the tournament's top defenceman. He tied for the lead in defencemen scoring with two goals and seven assists in six games.
Size is an issue for Karlsson. He's listed at 5-11 and 165 pounds and both might be exaggerations.

"Without a doubt," said Senators GM Bryan Murray, on a conference call from Switzerland where's he's attending the world championships. "His head and hands are terrific, but the question is can he handle the every day traffic in the NHL?"

Murray said he spoke to Bengt Gustafsson, the Frolunda coach, who said Karlsson played well in the last couple of months of the Indians' season.

"Based on that, I think there's a good chance (he could play in the NHL next season)," said Murray. "Certainly he'll address a need for us if he can play right away."

Karlsson said he won't know if he can make the NHL club until he gets some first-hand experience against NHL competition.

"It's a hard question to answer. I'll go over there and do the best I can...if it's not enough, I'll have to improve somewhere else."

He said he's been working hard on improving his size and strength since the Indians' season ended.

"I've added a few pounds, but I can't say how many. I'm a lot stronger now. The coach I train with said I'm getting stronger every day since the end of the season," said Karlsson.

Murray said the deal with Karlsson allows the Senators to put him in the AHL or send him back to Sweden if he doesn't make the NHL club.

The Senators already have a log jam on the blue line with seven defencemen signed for next season (not including Christoph Schubert, who's signed for next year and played mostly at forward or Brendan Bell, who will be a restricted free agent).

Not really, just longer strides. Karlsson is quite a bit better then Hedman... Karlsson is 100% ready IMO to be in the NHL and seemingly the Sens as well.

Here is something to consider. What if Smiths injury is bad enough to put him on LITR until next January or February then you clear his salary from the cap until he comes off LITR. It gives Murray ample time to sort out the D and use the extra cap space. If he comes back his salary is now about 1/2 and he could be a valuable piece if the team is in the playoffs and if not he could still be valuable on the trade market. If his knee is done then its into retirement for the old warrior.

Phoenix30 wrote:Here is something to consider. What if Smiths injury is bad enough to put him on LITR until next January or February then you clear his salary from the cap until he comes off LITR. It gives Murray ample time to sort out the D and use the extra cap space. If he comes back his salary is now about 1/2 and he could be a valuable piece if the team is in the playoffs and if not he could still be valuable on the trade market. If his knee is done then its into retirement for the old warrior.

That would be powerful good.

Well, this just makes for an interesting offseason. I like how Murray isnt putting all his eggs in the Sens basket. Lots of options going forward.

Phoenix30 wrote:Here is something to consider. What if Smiths injury is bad enough to put him on LITR until next January or February then you clear his salary from the cap until he comes off LITR. It gives Murray ample time to sort out the D and use the extra cap space. If he comes back his salary is now about 1/2 and he could be a valuable piece if the team is in the playoffs and if not he could still be valuable on the trade market. If his knee is done then its into retirement for the old warrior.

I feel very guilty saying this, but it would be great if Jason Smith is injured and returns for the last half or even last quarter of the season. We need him, but moreso in the playoffs than the regular season.

I said to Cap in the chat room, Smith will become our Hatcher IMO. Again, his contract is prob insured, he will be taken off the cap, and he will be aloud to either retire or move on with dignity.

504Heater wrote:

asq2 wrote:
Right now, I would say so.

Part of the reason people regard Hedman as a potential generational defenceman: he's like Jay Bouwmeester, only 4 inches taller.

Huh. I knew Hedman was lightning fast, but I thought one of Karlsson's attributes was the he too was quick. I thought the only thing differing between the two was size - and possibly a little bit of extra hockey sense for Hedman?

That's a little vague. Karlsson's offensive acumen and creativity are superior - some would say vastly so. I'd put Karlsson's offensive ability up against any defenceman drafted since Green in '04. Some aspects of his offensive game might even be better than Green's.

And I wouldn't say Karlsson is a Luke Richardson in terms of foot-speed either. He's got good open-ice speed and is a good skater. From what I've seen, in some cases his acceleration could be better, and he can sometimes be too stationary.

Let me say, though, that I'm not trying to diminish your impression of him. We're talking about comparing an 18-year old kid with one year of professional experience versus the very best hockey players in the world. I don't doubt he'll emerge as a fantastic defenceman, with great speed, with good defence, and obviously he's always going to have high offensive production.

All I'm saying is, people who are expecting this kid at 19 (which he'd be for the entirety of next season) to be basically a perfect defenceman, minus some strength issues, are fooling themselves. Very, very rarely are prospects drafted that have no issues or flaws in their game. Even rarer is that the case for defenceman: I'm not sure after Johnson (where there still was a period of adustment) and maybe Doughty, that there are many examples of that in recent years.

Heck, a comparable for Karlsson in Green is 23 and he still has a number of defensive aspects to improve.

Neely4Life wrote:Not really, just longer strides. Karlsson is quite a bit better then Hedman... Karlsson is 100% ready IMO to be in the NHL and seemingly the Sens as well.

He obviously had a better showing at the WJC, where Hedman was injured. But I don't think that's the case. Hedman is a pretty damn rare defenceman. I'd look at their respective impacts in the SEL.

Or you can take the word of Peter Forsberg, who's played with Hedman: Hedman is the best defenceman Sweden has produced since Lidstrom.

I only saw what I saw, and I think Karlsson dealt better with the more physical game then Hedman did. You can chalk it up to injury but I liked Karlsson more, despite the obvious difference in size.

504Heater wrote:

Phoenix30 wrote:Here is something to consider. What if Smiths injury is bad enough to put him on LITR until next January or February then you clear his salary from the cap until he comes off LITR. It gives Murray ample time to sort out the D and use the extra cap space. If he comes back his salary is now about 1/2 and he could be a valuable piece if the team is in the playoffs and if not he could still be valuable on the trade market. If his knee is done then its into retirement for the old warrior.

I feel very guilty saying this, but it would be great if Jason Smith is injured and returns for the last half or even last quarter of the season. We need him, but moreso in the playoffs than the regular season.

Perhaps he could talk to Selanne and Neidermeyer about contemplating retirement if he's healthy and then just come back before the deadline

Good analysis Asq.

Neely4Life wrote:I only saw what I saw, and I think Karlsson dealt better with the more physical game then Hedman did. You can chalk it up to injury but I liked Karlsson more, despite the obvious difference in size.

Me too, but how badly was Hedman injured...

Gonna be interesting to see what happens.

504Heater wrote:

Neely4Life wrote:I only saw what I saw, and I think Karlsson dealt better with the more physical game then Hedman did. You can chalk it up to injury but I liked Karlsson more, despite the obvious difference in size.

Me too, but how badly was Hedman injured...

Gonna be interesting to see what happens.

Maybe a good example of this would be Chara. He was injured the year we had to re-sign one of him or Redden or both. I believe that Muckler and everyone else thought the best choice was Redden (me included) purely based on the way he played against Tampa Bay and for the rest of the playoffs (or next round).

Of course, clearly, everyone that thought that way were DEAD WRONG.

Neely4Life wrote:I only saw what I saw, and I think Karlsson dealt better with the more physical game then Hedman did. You can chalk it up to injury but I liked Karlsson more, despite the obvious difference in size.

Karlsson's definitely got fire to his game. In fact, if you watch the NHL.com feature on Hedman...



You'll notice that as Hedman defends against Boychuk at ~0:44, Karlsson's coming across to try to take Boychuk's head off.

Again, I stress that Karlsson's going to be one helluva defenceman, especially if refs give him the Nik Kronwall treatment and let him leave his feet as he hits. But he's not at that level yet, in the same way as adding a Paajarvi-Svensson to the line-up next season probably wouldn't immediately give us an all-star, 90+ point winger in 2009-2010.

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.