UPDATE: Jason Smith retires; door open for Erik Karlsson?

shabbs wrote:

SensGirl11 wrote: I thought so, I was wondering when I quoted it why it came up as diddle...

The force is not so strong in you...

she's with the empire, that is why she is a tyrant in storm troopers clothing I kid, I kid. <--- to lighten the mood

shabbs wrote:

SensGirl11 wrote: I thought so, I was wondering when I quoted it why it came up as diddle...

The force is not so strong in you...

It doesn't seem to be...

SensFan71 wrote:

shabbs wrote:

SensGirl11 wrote: I thought so, I was wondering when I quoted it why it came up as diddle...

The force is not so strong in you...

she's with the empire, that is why she is a tyrant in storm troopers clothing I kid, I kid. <--- to lighten the mood

I gotta say... a girl in a storm trooper outfit... hot.

Yep.

I said it.

shabbs wrote:

SensFan71 wrote:

shabbs wrote:

SensGirl11 wrote: I thought so, I was wondering when I quoted it why it came up as diddle...

The force is not so strong in you...

she's with the empire, that is why she is a tyrant in storm troopers clothing I kid, I kid. <--- to lighten the mood

I gotta say... a girl in a storm trooper outfit... hot.

Yep.

I said it.

moreso than princess leia? yeah I said that too :^^^^:

SensFan71 wrote:

shabbs wrote:

SensFan71 wrote:

shabbs wrote:

SensGirl11 wrote: I thought so, I was wondering when I quoted it why it came up as diddle...

The force is not so strong in you...

she's with the empire, that is why she is a tyrant in storm troopers clothing I kid, I kid. <--- to lighten the mood

I gotta say... a girl in a storm trooper outfit... hot.

Yep.

I said it.

moreso than princess leia? yeah I said that too :^^^^:

What's not to like about that outfit?



Heh heh.

Kulka expects to be "conversating" with Jason Smith at 5.25

Sorry to see him go out like this. Great player, and by all accounts, a great person. Wish him the best in his post playing life, and hopefully he's able to stay working in the NHL.

Nothing but respect for one of the classiest players the league has ever seen.

N4L wrote:

asq2 wrote:

davetherave wrote:

asq2 wrote:

davetherave wrote:Right on...Duncan Keith, for example, isn't exactly The Incredible Hulk...Karlsson's a VERY smart and smooth d-man.

Right now, though, Keith is several levels above Karlsson defensively.

Mr. Keith, the Chicago Blackhawks Hockey Club, and I thank you for the compliment.

Duncan Keith right now should be used as an ideal for Karlsson, not a comparable (although I think Karlsson will eventually put up bigger numbers, and still be lesser defensively).

I dont know where you get this "lesser defensivly" thing from. Honestly, there wasnt a more well rounded player on that Swedish team last year then Karlsson. He was better in his own end then Hedman by a larage margin who should be used as a comparable because of the age and the fact they are both entering thier rookie years.

Karlsson will be as reliable as anyone in the league over time defensivly. I look at him as a Scott Niedamayer in the making. I think he is absolutly that good and that well rounded for his age.

I agree with N4L...Karlsson is very Scott Niedermayer-like. Sees the play extremely well and seems to know already how to 'slow down' the game with intelligent puck management.

Of course, how this translates to the NHL is an unknown...but the sooner BM gets Karlsson to Ottawa, the better.

As I have suggested before, a Karlsson-Cowan pairing could be the Sens' contemporary equivalent to the Pronger-Niedermayer or Keith-Seabrook duos.

Those two kids can give Senators fans a lot of reasons to be cheerful.

davetherave wrote:I agree with N4L...Karlsson is very Scott Niedermayer-like. Sees the play extremely well and seems to know already how to 'slow down' the game with intelligent puck management.

Of course, how this translates to the NHL is an unknown...but the sooner BM gets Karlsson to Ottawa, the better.

As I have suggested before, a Karlsson-Cowan pairing could be the Sens' contemporary equivalent to the Pronger-Niedermayer or Keith-Seabrook duos.

Those two kids can give Senators fans a lot of reasons to be cheerful.

Yes please.

jamvan wrote:

beedub wrote:Anyone else get the feeling that perhaps Murray was waiting on Smith to retire or make a decision regarding his status, before moving on anything else. This could be our own internal domino effect

Despite what is said, Murray knew about this all along.

Clearly. He all but said so when he stated that there were no cap issues to worry about.

davetherave wrote:I agree with N4L...Karlsson is very Scott Niedermayer-like. Sees the play extremely well and seems to know already how to 'slow down' the game with intelligent puck management.

Of course, how this translates to the NHL is an unknown...but the sooner BM gets Karlsson to Ottawa, the better.

As I have suggested before, a Karlsson-Cowan pairing could be the Sens' contemporary equivalent to the Pronger-Niedermayer or Keith-Seabrook duos.

Those two kids can give Senators fans a lot of reasons to be cheerful.

I don't know about "the sooner the better." I don't see any need to rush him: it's not like he'd have nothing to learn by playing in the AHL or in the SEL. For those arguing that there's no point in him returning to Sweden just to dominate, Krm500, a great poster at HF who's seen more of Karlsson and the SEL than probably all of us combined stated that unless Phil Larsen gets a spot on Dallas, there might not even be any room for Karlsson on Frolunda. This suggests, to me anyway, that the Frolunda coaching staff (who by all accounts are much more lenient with young players than most SEL coaches, and who gave Karlsson a lot of icetime in the playoffs) don't anticipate that EK would be a contender for the SEL Norris.

As far as the Karlsson - Cowen pairing goes, I don't want to see that for at least another five years. Cowen is a potential franchise defenceman, and I want to give him every opportunity to develop his own offensive game before making him submit himself to Karlsson's superior offensive mojo.

Yeah, I read that about Larson and was very surprised. I would rather him play in Bingo and be in close proximity, than to go to the SEL and be played sparingly - if at all.

I gathered that guy was in the know, but I can't help but wonder if he's right about that.

SpezDispenser wrote:Yeah, I read that about Larson and was very surprised. I would rather him play in Bingo and be in close proximity, than to go to the SEL and be played sparingly - if at all.

I gathered that guy was in the know, but I can't help but wonder if he's right about that.

Based on everything that's been said Karlsson will have to fail miserably to not get a spot in Ottawa this season. He may not play a lot of minutes, I think they will carry 22 if not 23 players (whatever the cap allows) so that roster spot is his to lose. He's a puck moving defenseman with a great, accurate shot from the point. How could he *not* make this squad?

Anyhow, to extend the Niedermayer/Pronger comparisons, we'll have Niedermayer, Pronger *and* Bouwmeester (Wiercioch -- I mean, both names are nearly impossible to spell/pronounce the right way, that's gotta count for something).

asq2 wrote:As far as the Karlsson - Cowen pairing goes, I don't want to see that for at least another five years.

ASQ...spoken like a true Red Wings fan, eh.

SpezDispenser wrote:Yeah, I read that about Larson and was very surprised. I would rather him play in Bingo and be in close proximity, than to go to the SEL and be played sparingly - if at all.

I gathered that guy was in the know, but I can't help but wonder if he's right about that.

I would say there is a lot more to learn in the SEL then the AHL. The AHL is for guys developing their skill, Karlsson's skill is basically above that in the AHL.

As for not learning anything in the SEL, thats not what I was suggesting ir implying, but the way he has developed the last 2 years (before the draft and after) and how quickly he has come along, the best place for him in the NHL. Obviously there is a TON for him to learn in other leagues, but there is no question that there is more to learn on a NHL roster. The SEL you are not going to learn how to play that gritty, grinding, North American game with the bigger and bader guys around. Similarily, in the AHL he isnt going to develope that raw skill because, his skill is not raw, its there. Can he improve? Obviously, but he is ahead of the AHL curve in terms on skill, inteligence, and hockey sense, way ahead.

Where do you go to develope all these things at once? The NHL. Whether he can crack the Frolunda lineup or not really isnt the issue, you can put the best 6 D men in Sweden there and then boom, he is out of a spot. There is a spot being made for Karlsson in Ottawa to develope at the next level for a reason. IMO this guy is a clone of Scott Niedamayer with the right attitude and confidence.

Like I said, there are things you can learn the SEL, AHL, so on, but are they the right things to be learning? Do Murray and The Sens want him to be learning something that can only be taught in the NHL? I think it's pretty obvious they do and I obviously think thats the right way to go.

asq2 wrote:

davetherave wrote:I agree with N4L...Karlsson is very Scott Niedermayer-like. Sees the play extremely well and seems to know already how to 'slow down' the game with intelligent puck management.

Of course, how this translates to the NHL is an unknown...but the sooner BM gets Karlsson to Ottawa, the better.

As I have suggested before, a Karlsson-Cowan pairing could be the Sens' contemporary equivalent to the Pronger-Niedermayer or Keith-Seabrook duos.

Those two kids can give Senators fans a lot of reasons to be cheerful.

I don't know about "the sooner the better." I don't see any need to rush him: it's not like he'd have nothing to learn by playing in the AHL or in the SEL. For those arguing that there's no point in him returning to Sweden just to dominate, Krm500, a great poster at HF who's seen more of Karlsson and the SEL than probably all of us combined stated that unless Phil Larsen gets a spot on Dallas, there might not even be any room for Karlsson on Frolunda. This suggests, to me anyway, that the Frolunda coaching staff (who by all accounts are much more lenient with young players than most SEL coaches, and who gave Karlsson a lot of icetime in the playoffs) don't anticipate that EK would be a contender for the SEL Norris.

As far as the Karlsson - Cowen pairing goes, I don't want to see that for at least another five years. Cowen is a potential franchise defenceman, and I want to give him every opportunity to develop his own offensive game before making him submit himself to Karlsson's superior offensive mojo.

They might not dominate like that for about 5, 6 years as a pair, but don be shocked by the time Cowen is 20 they are both on that blueline together. A good WJC from him and WHL season, you MIGHT see him here next year depending on the cap situation and where some guys end up. If not next year, I would be a serious amount of cash he is here in 11-12.

That's why I'm so glad Ottawa drafted a guy like Wideman in the 4th round this year to help Bingo along and a project like him can develope. That was amazing for sight from Murray considering Wideman is a more raw, probably less tallented Karlsson in terms of Ottawa prospects. Both small, RH D men. That really went un-noticed this year but I loved that pick.

I'm all for patience but for better prospects, two years in developmental leagues is plenty. The special ones don't even put in one year.

5 years to wait for a Cowen/Karlsson pairing is a bit excessive.

SeawaySensFan wrote:I'm all for patience but for better prospects, two years in developmental leagues is plenty. The special ones don't even put in one year.

5 years to wait for a Cowen/Karlsson pairing is a bit excessive.

5 years is might be when they all hit their stride together, but nothing saying they can't be effective before then, a Karlsson at 80% effectiveness is better than what we have dealt with lately. (ie Redden)