Ultimate Karlsson Rant

[Big Ev]

There was a post by you saying to someone something like , “and you thought Gaudreau is the next St Louis”. He’s doing very well right now.

But I’ve always been on the Karlsson helps a team more than he hurts a team side. But I did think he’d regress points wise by now because he was focussing on D more, and the forwards would be leaned on more offensively.

But this was like 8pages of the same 2 thoughts.
“Karlsson is crap defensively”
“Karlsson’s offense makes up for his defense”

If someone isn't on the "Karlsson helps a team more than he hurts a team side" they shouldn't be considered a hockey fan or a smart person in general.

My Norris prediction was correct and people looked like fools for saying he was garbage.

[agentzero]

He is Brian Leetch 2. Leetch had flashy skating and plenty of scoring and garnered a tonne of Norris consideration and Karlsson is the same. He's having a tough go at it but is generally a capable defender.. (except when Ovie burned him in his 500th G game lol).

[hockeymanG23]

He is Brian Leetch 2. Leetch had flashy skating and plenty of scoring and garnered a tonne of Norris consideration and Karlsson is the same. He's having a tough go at it but is generally a capable defender.. (except when Ovie burned him in his 500th G game lol).

Ya, but Ovi burns EVERYONE!!! Cant hold that against EK and I'm sure you don't

[larrylintz]

I'd just like to get this out of my system.
Everyone raves over this dude...I understand the points are nice. Everytime I watch a sens game and see him on the ice...he just looks sloppy, out of place and you got it, trailing in behind on a goal against.
MINUS 4 TONIGHT! Minus every game it seems. I'm not even that upset of what he's doing to my squad as I am for the "he's the best dman in the league" comments. Pretty little boy needs to learn how to play DEFENCE.

I started watching hockey when Bobby Orr was in his prime, and idiots like Stan Fischler used to rag on him for his D and say Brad Park was better. Same with Coffey. There are always people who can't see the forest for the trees. Sure Karlsson makes mistakes because unlike a Weber or Keith he won't just get rid of the puck when under heavy pressure. Last night was a perfect example, he was at the point on a pp and someone was in his face and he somehow dangled it between the guys legs, goes around him and dishes off to hoffman for a great opportunity. He does that ALL THE TIME and the amount of times he maintains Sens' possession of the puck, when EVERY other d-man couldn't, is remarkable. And yeah, once in a while he gets burned doing that. Even then his tremendous speed often allows him to recover, and of course that speed is one reason he can take chances in situations where Webers and Keiths can't.
I think when his career's over smart hockey people will rank him 2nd only to Orr all-time. People who say his contemporaries, esp Subban, are better are in my mind clueless about hockey. Every elite d-man can bring the puck up, make an outlet pass, dish it around on the pp, and have a good shot from the point. It's his speed (easily outracing Patrick Kane while he was carrying the puck is one eg) and the subtle, creative things EK does every night that a Subban might do every month or so that makes the difference. I read one analytics study showing that EK would have outscored coffey had he played in the 80s firewagon era...and that doesn't take into account the fact coffey was dishing off to several all-time greats, vs. Kyle Turris. Don't get me started. When i see half-empty stands on road games i want to say to American fans -- give your head a shake. You're missing out on seeing a player your grandchildren will ask you about. He just happens to play in a media backwater for a mediocre franchise.