Senators: Set on D? Forward Next?

SeawaySensFan wrote:Rundblad is already 19, if that's who they're drafting. He might even have a leg up on Karlsson.

Neely4Life wrote:Some people's expectations really are too high for Karlsson right now. The idea is to ease him into the NHL as a 5, 6 guy, give him some PP time and let him learn.

I'm of the opinion that the next step for the kid is the NHL and he is ready, but he isnt ready for 20-25 mins a night, while people expect him to be a stud at both ends of the rink. Lets jump back to reality here.

There are going to be growing pains with the kid and he will make mistakes, probably big ones (thank God we have Leclaire). Its great we signed him and we might have him here next year but that kid isnt going to make a real impact until he is 22, 23 years old, just like Wiercioch.

The D isnt "set" in Ottawa, its in good shape.

SeawaySensFan wrote:Rundblad is already 19, if that's who they're drafting. He might even have a leg up on Karlsson.

wprager wrote:

Neely4Life wrote:Some people's expectations really are too high for Karlsson right now. The idea is to ease him into the NHL as a 5, 6 guy, give him some PP time and let him learn.

I'm of the opinion that the next step for the kid is the NHL and he is ready, but he isnt ready for 20-25 mins a night, while people expect him to be a stud at both ends of the rink. Lets jump back to reality here.

There are going to be growing pains with the kid and he will make mistakes, probably big ones (thank God we have Leclaire). Its great we signed him and we might have him here next year but that kid isnt going to make a real impact until he is 22, 23 years old, just like Wiercioch.

The D isnt "set" in Ottawa, its in good shape.

Would be fair to say, though, that it's "set enough" for a team that's not pretneding to be contending? I am confident that we had the stuff to make the playoffs, but as a 6-8 seed the chances of advancing even to the 2nd round would be slim (gone are the days of the #3 seed being easy pickings). With Karlsson under contract all I see is that we have even more D-men signed, which, at worst, gives us more flexibility and some trade stock. I Karlsson can play the 5/6 role that gives us the option of moving Lee and Picard. If Smith is on the LTIR or retires, then those combined contracts add up to $4.4M. There's a top-six right there. Or a top-4 D-man.