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BUFFALO, NY – Erik Karlsson told a small group of reporters waiting near his locker that the only topic they really want to discuss – his imminent return to Ottawa as a member of the San Jose Sharks later in the week – forbidden.
"When I go there, I'll talk about it," said the former senators' defender politely. "I will not talk about it now."
But Karlsson spoke briefly to explain what will undoubtedly be a noisy reception Saturday afternoon in the nation's capital.
"Returning to Ottawa will be special," said the 28-year-old Monday at the end of practice at Buffalo's KeyBank Center. "It's going to be different and weird.
"We'll see what kind of emotions there will be when the day comes."
There are surely a lot.
Exchanged in San Jose at the start of the training camp under an eight-player contract that put an end to speculation over several months as to the future of the double winner of the Norris Trophy, Karlsson was a fan favorite of Ottawa for almost ten years. .
"It's a big adjustment," he said of his move to northern California. "It takes time, it takes time, but I enjoy my time and get as much help as possible.
"There is no other place to go than up, I'm looking forward to it, I'm not the kind of guy who lingers on the past and turns back on" What if? "
The same can not be said for many of the Senators fans.
The 15th overall pick in the 2008 draft went from the lean unknown teenager to the Ottawa superstar, scoring 126 goals and 392 badists for 518 points in 627 regular season games.
Karlsson added 37 points in 48 playoffs, including 18 on an injured foot and ankle (the surgery was ultimately necessary) in the Senators' magic race at the Eastern Conference final in 2017, which resulted in a heartbreaking defeat to the Pittsburgh Penguins.
"Karlsson was deeply committed to this community and this team," said San Jose head coach Peter DeBoer. "(He) really felt most of the time there that he was going to spend his whole career there."
But things quickly deteriorated on and off the ice.
Last December, Senators owner Eugene Melnyk threatened to move the franchise if ticket sales did not improve, while rumors about Karlsson's future were ahead of February when lost the ranking.
The captain of Ottawa ended up staying in place for the moment, but the tragedy struck in March when Karlsson and his wife Melinda announced that their first child, a son whom they called Axel, was dead. -born.
After the end of the club's miserable season, Karlsson's wife accused his teammate Mike Hoffman's fiancé of cyberbullying. Hoffman was then traded.
Management was adamant throughout the announcement. He would propose a new contract in Karlsson on 1 July – he was and is still on the verge of becoming an unrestricted free agent next summer – but revealed after dealing with the Swedes that the decision to start a reconstruction had been made in February.
Elliotte Friedman and Jeff Marek, hosts New episodes every Thursday.
Although young Senators have been a pleasant surprise sometimes this season thanks to an exciting and offensive approach, the negative stories away from the action have persisted since Karlsson's departure.
In one case, a group of players was filmed discreetly on an badistant coach in an Uber, while Melnyk announced last week that he had announced to the public that he was suing his partner for a development project to install a new arena downtown.
Karlsson did not go further on Monday when he spoke about his former team or what might happen to him later this week, but he was moved to his Ottawa farewell immediately after the deal.
DeBoer is expecting something similar on Saturday.
"You just want to get it done," he said. "Once it's over, it's almost like a shutdown."
After some tough starts in San Jose, Karlsson scored two goals and had 13 badists in 24 games. With a shooting percentage of 2.9 (well below his career average of 6.8), with a 59.32 per cent differential tied before Tuesday's game in Buffalo, a loss could profile on the horizon for the defender.
"He creates a lot of looks that few guys can," said Logan Couture of Sharks Center. "The most important thing is to find ways for it to pbad you by."
Karlsson will make his San Jose debut for the first time in Canada when the Sharks travel to Toronto Wednesday morning before the morning of the Canadian Tire Center, five years after the return of his friend and former Senators captain Daniel Alfredsson after his signing at Detroit. .
"I'm excited to go forward," said Karlsson. "I feel good, my body feels good, the game is starting to take shape and I do not really care about the different aspects.
"We are trying to build something here for the rest of the season and I am excited about this part."
His new team of outgoing veterans such as Joe Thornton and Brent Burns also provided an escape after a grueling year.
"It's my job, that's what I do," Karlsson said. "It's nice to go to the rink every day and everyone is normal, we forget about it for a while.
"I rely a lot on hockey, not only in my professional life, but also in my personal life."
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