SENShobo
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Karlsson Down, Kuba In For Sens
by SENShobo on 10/28/09 at 08:23 AM ET
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Lineup returns, cementings, equipment changes, and flu scares, but first..
From the Ottawa Citizen, on Karlsson’s demotion,
On the bright side, at least nobody said, “this is a men’s league and he’s still a boy.”
...
Karlsson survived the late September cut, but not the contractual trigger deadline nine games into the season. The 19-year-old was stung, breaking down with emotion in the office of Ottawa Senators GM Bryan Murray.
...
Spezza, drafted by Ottawa second overall in 2001, famously went down to Bingo with the “this is a men’s league” quote from Jacques Martin ringing in his ears, back when Marshall Johnston and Martin were GM and head coach of the Senators, respectively. Truthful, but blunt, and not exactly what a future star wants to hear.
For all the hope and promise, it was bound to happen, and it’s for the best.
I’ll say it again; two months is not long enough for Karlsson to have dropped the habits he showed at the rookie tournament, passing the puck too early in order to dodge checks or slowing himself down to avoid being crunched chasing the puck into the corners. Undeniably he shows promise, but the skills and contracts of everyone else was writing on the wall for Special K.
From the Ottawa Sun, on Murray’s reasoning,
Asked why he preferred to have Karlsson in Binghamton than with his Elite league team in his home country, Murray said Karlsson could still return to Sweden at some point.
“We know in Europe that the skill development part of it will happen,” said Murray. “The bigger ice surface, puck control, doing things with the puck for Erik, that would be beneficial.
“The physical part of it, the travel, the grind of playing pro hockey, the quickness required on the smaller ice surface in Binghamton, all of those things are the reasons for now that we’re doing it.”
Murray added that, should he still be in the AHL in December, Karlsson could play for Sweden in the world junior championship if he wanted.
In Binghamton, compared to Ottawa, Karlsson will see minutes in every situation, bumped up to first or at least second pairing minutes, rather than third and fourth, with even a little penalty killing thrown in. If he gets the opportunity to play and gel with the more physical but still skilled Brian Lee, it could be a boon to both their stocks. If he chooses to play in the World Juniors, he could gain further experience for the grind of the playoffs that both Senators organizations long to return to, and it would help build up a new Swedish leadership contender.
Simply put, there’s far more to be gained outside Ottawa, at least for now. Hopefully Karlsson sees and uses those opportunities.
From the Ottawa Sun, on the H1N1 flu scare,
First Pascal Leclaire gets hit with the flu bug last week. Then it finds Erik Karlsson and Peter Regin on Sunday. The three of them sit at triangle-like points in the Ottawa dressing room.
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“It’s something that is discussed here at the rink, and at the dinner table at home,” he said. “What’s the right thing to do (for prevention)?“For me, I’m not going to take a flu shot as of now, but that could possibly change.”
In the meantime, the Senators will take the same precautions everyone else does.
“I just talked to (trainer) Gerry (Townend) and the doctors. I guess we have extra hand sanitizer,” said Clouston. “There’s no NHL policy, but players were encouraged to wash their hands more often, don’t share water bottles, all that type of stuff. Dr. (Don) Chow had a discussion with all the players as well.”
This particular strain has already been found in Colorado backup Peter Budaj, not that they’ve needed him in climbing from 28th place last year to 1st overall this season on the back of Craig Anderson, who’s started all 12 games this season for the Avalanche. Protect your team, get the shot yourself.
Tonight in Florida will see a few changes to lineups. Florida will have a new top line with David Booth out after a concussing but legal hit to the head by the Flyers’ Mike Richards. The real news for Ottawa fans is that Kuba is expected to make his return, and along with Alfie and one of the few scary shots on the team playing on the point, the Senators hope to re-ignite their power play. Florida may not be treating Regin well, as he’s been told by the team that he will be spending the season as an NHL pro, and to seek out accomodations in Ottawa, no easy task from South Beach.
Finally, hoping to break out from his goalless drought, Spezza will dip into his emergency reserves, and break out the wooden sticks (OC). The team is tied for 8th in the League with 3.33 G/G, but as much as it’s been a delight to see Neil, Ruutu, and Carkner on the board, seeing Spezza with a zero anywhere in his totals is cause for concern.
My prediction? While I had a feeling that Nashville might upset after seeing the same high-scoring ending two years back, I don’t see Florida pulling out of their tailspin tonight, not with Booth newly out, or Kulikov facing the same deadline Karlsson was just demoted prior to, though the Florida defenceman is expected to stay. 5-2 Sens, because I want to see some firepower, and would hate to see Spezza’s wood go to waste.
Update - 1:30 p.m. - (OC) Kuba confirmed in, Leclaire in net after recovering from his earlier ghostliness, and Shannon will be warming a seat in the press box so that Donovan can squeeze back into the lineup; can only wonder what it will be like when Winchester’s conditioning stint is over.
Filed in: NHL Teams, Ottawa Senators | SENShobo | Permalink
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