The Erik Karlsson Watch

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.

SpezDispenser wrote:^ 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.

I have to second everything DTR said, with one imprecise correction: Picard missed the final 34+ games of the season as he did not suit up for Clouston.

Spez - Hartsburg system, as you well know, was the greatest cause of the inconsistency seen from players like Picard and Kuba; not to mention the way it affected generally reliable players like Phillips, Volchenkov, Fisher, Alfredsson, etc. Kuba himself didn't really "turn it around" until he signed an extension. Even in the initial stages of the Clouston era, he was still prone to similar lapses - albeit, to a far lesser degree.

I don't think the Kuba-Picard pairing is one we'll see too often as there are so many other possibilities. If we do, however, I wouldn't be the least bit worried about defensive responsibillity. They would be fine.

Spez> "the Cluster Diddle Twins"? :^^^^:

The Hartsburg Experiment having been an abject failure, it's tough to judge how well or badly anyone played during that stretch.

I look at attitude as much as talent, and Alex Picard seems very committed to 'team-first'...he did a number of interviews in French for Corus Sports and that attitude came through very clearly.

Erik Karlsson, along with Alfie, Chris Phillips and Volchenkov, are players who give you 200% no matter what the score is or where the team is in the standings. They aren't trying to show off or pad their stats. You can see that immediately in the way they approach the game.

Karlsson is a player who wants to win more than anything, and is prepared to do what it takes--that showed even in the few games we saw of him at the WJC.

And hopefully, we'll see less use of the diddle filter on these forums next season as a result.

Interesting the amount of confidence shown in Picard. I like him as a player, but I have a hard time trying to envision how he'll be. I hope, as you say, he was a victim of Hartsburg a lot of the time, but I need to see him under Clouston before permanently marking him into the lineup.

One thing's for sure. He has a bullet of a shot - and that can only help on PP2.

davetherave wrote:Spez> "the Cluster Diddle Twins"? :^^^^:

The Hartsburg Experiment having been an abject failure, it's tough to judge how well or badly anyone played during that stretch.

I look at attitude as much as talent, and Alex Picard seems very committed to 'team-first'...he did a number of interviews in French for Corus Sports and that attitude came through very clearly.

Erik Karlsson, along with Alfie, Chris Phillips and Volchenkov, are players who give you 200% no matter what the score is or where the team is in the standings. They aren't trying to show off or pad their stats. You can see that immediately in the way they approach the game.

Karlsson is a player who wants to win more than anything, and is prepared to do what it takes--that showed even in the few games we saw of him at the WJC.

And hopefully, we'll see less use of the diddle filter on these forums next season as a result.

:^^^^: Pretty good take Dave.

@Cas>thanks for that detail...I was referring to Picard's play under CH...even in that confused environment, he showed his ability even if consistency was not there. It's a byproduct of a struggling team, and not a knock on Alex.

BM knew what he was getting when he made that trade with Tampa.

Yeah I agree, Dave.

SpezDispenser wrote:Interesting the amount of confidence shown in Picard. I like him as a player, but I have a hard time trying to envision how he'll be. I hope, as you say, he was a victim of Hartsburg a lot of the time, but I need to see him under Clouston before permanently marking him into the lineup.

One thing's for sure. He has a bullet of a shot - and that can only help on PP2.

I think we all feel that way. I can't say 100% that Picard will be a valued member or even a member at all of the team under Clouston, but I can say that I believe he will.

Be careful with your predictions guys, last year most of the people were putting Brian Lee in a top 4 position, and now Erik Karlsson and PIcard have replaced him at the bottom pairing?
Brian has less than 60 regular season games under his belt and he is already thrown under the bus... Yet he still played 18-20 minutes the last 2-3 months of the season paired with Philips and it was easily our best tandem when Kuba was injured.
I obviously think Karlsson will be better but it doesn't mean Brian Lee should be thrown under the bus in favour of 2 players who clearly, haven't proven anything more than him at the NHL level.

I think I'm done predicting what will happen with the Sens. I'm hopeful based on the results under Clouston but, with all the coaching changes and roster moves over the last few seasons I'm going to take a wait and see attitude.

I certainly wouldn't be surprised if Karlsson does or doesn't make to big club.

marakh wrote:Be careful with your predictions guys, last year most of the people were putting Brian Lee in a top 4 position, and now Erik Karlsson and PIcard have replaced him at the bottom pairing?
Brian has less than 60 regular season games under his belt and he is already thrown under the bus... Yet he still played 18-20 minutes the last 2-3 months of the season paired with Philips and it was easily our best tandem when Kuba was injured.
I obviously think Karlsson will be better but it doesn't mean Brian Lee should be thrown under the bus in favour of 2 players who clearly, haven't proven anything more than him at the NHL level.

I would absolutly say that Picard has shown he is a much better offensive player then Lee... It's not even close.

N4L wrote:I would absolutly say that Picard has shown he is a much better offensive player then Lee... It's not even close.

It's actually effortless how Picard can generate offense. I think that's part of the problem.

Has a cannon too.

N4L wrote:

marakh wrote:Be careful with your predictions guys, last year most of the people were putting Brian Lee in a top 4 position, and now Erik Karlsson and PIcard have replaced him at the bottom pairing?
Brian has less than 60 regular season games under his belt and he is already thrown under the bus... Yet he still played 18-20 minutes the last 2-3 months of the season paired with Philips and it was easily our best tandem when Kuba was injured.
I obviously think Karlsson will be better but it doesn't mean Brian Lee should be thrown under the bus in favour of 2 players who clearly, haven't proven anything more than him at the NHL level.

I would absolutly say that Picard has shown he is a much better offensive player then Lee... It's not even close.

Sure, but at the moment, if you have Campoli and Kuba on the roster, I'd rather have a last pairing with a more well positionned defenseman with Karlsson (if he's in), which Lee is over Picard IMO. The other reason is, I think Brian Lee needs as much ice time as we can give him to develop properly.

Bottom line, I'm not giving up on a Defenseman who has 60- games under his belt and has showed signs of good poise.

So what do you do? Put Picard on waivers? Waive or trade Schubie and keep Picard as the 7th?

spader wrote:So what do you do? Put Picard on waivers? Waive or trade Schubie and keep Picard as the 7th?

You ride with 7 of them and Schubie is already gone in my books...

I wonder if BM can trade him for a 3rd or 4th...that would be a good return.