The Erik Karlsson Watch

SpezDispenser wrote:

PKC wrote:I think the same thing can be said of Lee. I'm not ready to give up on him yet, he's just far too young to just be passed over. He's a big kid, with the potential to rack up assists from the back end as well as play very good defensive hockey.

People forget he's only 22 whereas Picard is almost two and a half years older than him.

It's tough to pass over one guy for the other, but something has to give soon on the Ottawa blueline especially with Cowen and Weircioch being possibly ready as early as next year (especially Cowen who might even challenge for a spot this year according to some).

We don't have to worry about Cowen this year. But I agree, Murray's created a dilemma for himself with Picard and Lee and Karlsson all fighting for a spot. Two of the three can make it, who doesn't? I choose Picard right now, but it's because of the numbers game, I'd like to see what he can bring under Clouston.

Good luck with this situation Murray, it's a weird pickle.

Not a big issue here, really. Picard's pretty much got a lock on the bottom pairing (people can say otherwise, but his one-way deal is a clincher, for sure). That leaves Lee and Karlsson (both on two-way deals), who I imagine will spell each other off and take turns traveling the road to Bingo and back again. If Picard falters, he sits while the other two play. Picard doesn't make so much ($800K) that it's much of an issue.

It's pretty simple, really. You want a 7th D on hand, after all. The real thing to come out of camp will be a finalization in terms of realizing that -- with (potentially) 7 other NHL ready D and a plethora of bottom 6ers -- there's no place for Schubert on this team. I like his flexibility and think we might actually come to miss it, but I still think Schubert will be gone (either via trade or waivers) before the start of the regular season, pretty much guaranteed.

As for Mark's comments about Picard being a shut down guy, I really don't know what he's talking about there. Picard has a big, big shot, is pretty accurate, and was the only guy on our backend last year (before Campoli) who knew how to get it through bodies and onto the next. He's a good 5-6D option, and he runs the 2nd PP unit quite well. His problem has always been his play in his own end -- but, in his defence, the play of the entire Senators team in its own end was, before Clouston and after Picard's injury, brutal. To become a regular NHLer and stick to this team, Picard has to be more consistent in his own end -- what he does in the other team's end is, largely, fine.

Anyway, whatever happens, we need at least one of these young, smaller, offensive Ds (Campoli, Picard, Lee, Karlsson) to step up and play responsible defensive hockey without losing their offensive flare. If Lee become the kind of player he showed flashed of last year (tougher, harder in his own end) and Karlsson becomes what we all know he can be, Picard will be displaced before the end of the year. If not, it will be a D carousel for most of the season.

PKC wrote:
He's gonna have to pick between Phillips and Volchenkov too pretty soon if he wants to make room for Cowen or Weircioch next year.

Meh...Wiercioch is a couple of years away IMO. But I choose A-Train 10 out of 10 times.

I'd take Phillips over A-Train, but I hope we can keep both.

Besides Campoli and Bell Rooney - Bell could get that puck through really well.

SpezDispenser wrote:

PKC wrote:
He's gonna have to pick between Phillips and Volchenkov too pretty soon if he wants to make room for Cowen or Weircioch next year.

Meh...Wiercioch is a couple of years away IMO. But I choose A-Train 10 out of 10 times.

He might be a couple of years away, but you're not signing Volchenkov to a 1-year extension. Also, I think I'd take Phillips. He's more connected to the team and community and his style of play lends to a long playing career. I just see Volchenkov's bumps and bruises starting to catch up.

SpezDispenser wrote:Besides Campoli and Bell Rooney - Bell could get that puck through really well.

Fair enough. Bell was largely a post-Clouston experiment, however. From Oct-Dec., in terms of our D, it was largely Picard alone who could put the puck on the net on a consistent basis.

Karlsson is generously listed at 5-11 and 175 pounds.

Panzeri is generously listed as a "journalist".

SeawaySensFan wrote:Karlsson is generously listed at 5-11 and 175 pounds.

Panzeri is generously listed as a "journalist".

He should be at about that. We drafted him at about 160 if I remember correctly, and I've heard he's put on as much as 12-15 pounds since draft day.

SeawaySensFan wrote:Karlsson is generously listed at 5-11 and 175 pounds.

95% of all Ottawa sports writers are generously listed as a "journalist".

fixed

jamvan wrote:

PKC wrote:I think the same thing can be said of Lee. I'm not ready to give up on him yet, he's just far too young to just be passed over. He's a big kid, with the potential to rack up assists from the back end as well as play very good defensive hockey.

People forget he's only 22 whereas Picard is almost two and a half years older than him.

It's tough to pass over one guy for the other, but something has to give soon on the Ottawa blueline especially with Cowen and Weircioch being possibly ready as early as next year (especially Cowen who might even challenge for a spot this year according to some).

Yep, you're right. People have been far too quick to pass Lee over and get rid, I think he's going to blossom into a solid d-man. Like Redden was in his glory days.

@jamvan> watching Lee, a few things stood out to me, anyway...one, he doesn't look confident with the puck. Two, there was a game where he was lined up for a critical faceoff in the Sens' end, and instead of focusing on the play he was wisecracking with a teammate. Three, Lee had a bad habit of mouthing off to referees.

Clouston put him on short leash after that...with good reason.

Karlsson, on the other hand, appears to be very mature and as serious about the game as he is talented.

This year might be a challenge, but he--and Cowen, hoping his recovery from surgery is fully successful--could give the Senators a blue-chip pairing on defense in the next few years.

cas wrote:There's 5. The other 99.9% of the fan base should get a pleasant surprise

I look forward to be proven wrong.

I don't see what everyone else sees in Picard. But hey, BM sees something in Picard, I am sure he is a better judge of talent then I am so who knows.

He has top pairing potential. Will he get there? Who knows, but its not out of the realm of possibility. I wouldn't expect anything like that this season, but 5-10 years from now, he could be a Rafalski-esque rock for someone.

davetherave wrote:there was a game where he was lined up for a critical faceoff in the Sens' end, and instead of focusing on the play he was wisecracking with a teammate.

I wouldn't call that a bad thing per-say.

There's nothing wrong with looking at hockey as what it is - a game.

When players stop seeing what they're doing as fun, they lose all life from there game (Markus Naslund is a good example).

If he were doing everything else right, no one would care that he was wisecracking.

cas wrote:He has top pairing potential. Will he get there? Who knows, but its not out of the realm of possibility. I wouldn't expect anything like that this season, but 5-10 years from now, he could be a Rafalski-esque rock for someone.

Who? Picard, or Karlsson?

I'd personally like to see a Lee/Picard pairing given some time and patience, but then Campoli is left blowing in the wind. Or Karlsson. So that likely won't happen.

SpezDispenser wrote:

cas wrote:He has top pairing potential. Will he get there? Who knows, but its not out of the realm of possibility. I wouldn't expect anything like that this season, but 5-10 years from now, he could be a Rafalski-esque rock for someone.

Who? Picard, or Karlsson?

Picard.

Rafalski, not so much in playing style, but in the sense that he has a strong all around game and is on some teams a #1 D-man but on every team a legit #2.

I guess Karlsson too, but I think Karlsson has that extra dimension that may allow him to be a #1 on most every team.

@Spez> Campoli-Picard makes more sense to me than Lee. Alex missed the last 21 games of the season with an injury, but when he played, he showed honest effort, a responsible attitude, and sound puck management. If Alex can use his physical attributes efficiently, IMHO he'll become a valuable member of the d-corps.

Just my two cents worth, but pairings like this might start the year:

• Phillips-Karlsson (alternating with Volchenkov, Chris and Anton playing the heavy minutes)
  
• Volchenkov-Kuba (with Karlsson paired with Kuba occasionally)
  
• Campoli-Picard
  

It's reasonable to think, given his creativity, Clouston might experiment with different combinations. Cory threw some wrinkles into his use of defensemen last year, like having Phillips move up on the attack and drive the net, with some success.

I expect Cowen will come up at some point; and that Lee and/or Schubert will be the 7th defenseman for the time being, with the edge to Schubert because he also plays forward.

Of course, much depends on the attitude of Brian Lee. He didn't exactly endear himself to Clouston last year. If he comes to camp serious about making the club and playing to his full potential, that's an added asset.

Bottom line, Karlsson adds a needed spark on all levels. Him just being in Ottawa forces everyone else to raise their game. He's really like Alfie in that respect; doesn't say much, but everyone knows what he's here for. His talent, and his readiness to apply it, speak for themselves.

^ No Lee?

The problem I found with Picard last season - under Hartsburg, I'll grant that he didn't get to play under Clouston - he and Kuba seemed to be caught in their own zone all the time, with really no proper exit strategies and no options positionally. I called them the Cluster Diddle Twins. But then, I saw Kuba turn it around 100% when Picard got injured and continued to get better when Murray acquired Campoli.

Now, that's not really a knock on Picard because he never got to play under Clouston, but it does make me a little wary of paring Kuba and Picard again - and it makes me doubly wary about pairing Picard and Campoli. Who'll be the rock on that D line when they run into problems? It makes me very nervous - although, I'll admit to liking Picard more than most. I think he could be a Cam Barker as soon as this year. Not exceptional in our zone, but a real fox on the PP (unit 2 I would assume).

I hope this all comes together obviously.