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Putting aside the spectacular Ottawa Senators pique of the conference finalists at the firefighters' reenactment, let's start with the daunting fact that crystallized Thursday afternoon: two of the last five winners of the Norris Trophy are now on the blue line unit capable of unleashing multiple world-class defenders, not to mention Pirates of the Caribbean extras-for more than 50 minutes total each night.
What does all this mean? Nothing is particularly good for the other Western Conference contenders, who must be exasperated as San Jose General Manager Doug Wilson has chosen Ryan O'Reilly and John Tavares before throw in a training camp. It was a high cost in quantity: defender Dylan DeMelo, center Chris Tierney, hopes Rudolf Balcers and Josh Norris, a first round, a second round and two conditional selections. As for the quality? Well, the Sharks are now using Erik Karlsson. And senators do not do it.
The top four defensemen patrolling Nashville could face two-way hockey prowess, but how many more teams can claim the talent from behind San Jose? Certainly none has more offensive firepower than San Jose now. In five full seasons since the 2012-2013 lockout, Karlsson and Brent Burns rank among their peers in position, goals, assists, power play points and shots on goal:
Karlsson – 3rd (83), 1st (272), 1st (355), 1st (132), 2nd (1,211).
Burns – 1st (107), 2nd (219), 2nd (326), 3rd (117), 1st (1495).
As Burns tweeted when the commercial news broke: "Unreal! I can not wait to see this sauce in person!
For the moment, at least, this sauce is only for rent. Entering the final season of his $ 6.5 million contract, Karlsson, 28, would surely entertain Tavares-agency courtesy levels if he went to the open market next summer. Various selection conditions in the deal will help ease the blow for San Jose, but it's very easy to imagine Karlsson. With Burns, stop specialist Marc-Edouard Vlasic, goaltender Martin Jones and forward-looking forwards Logan Couture, Evander Kane and Tomas Hertl in 2021-22, the Stanley Cup window in the Bay Area remains largely opened.
Like Tavares' signing of an already strong Maple Leafs team, the acquisition of Karlsson should allow San Jose to reach Nashville and Winnipeg at the top of the conference. Where is. (Ensuring that Norris Trophy finalist four times does not join Pacific Division rival, Vegas, was also a byproduct for Wilson.) Although Karlsson decides not to sign long-term, even though his left ankle Sharks made the most obvious decision that Wilson summed up in a statement like this: "It's extremely rare for players of this caliber to be available."
Which brings us to the team that made this player caliber available in the first place. Cringeworthy as he was, The post-night interview between veteran Mark Borowiecki and owner Eugene Melnyk the one that was dropped on Monday night has clearly announced plans for a detonation plan. Maybe Balcers, 21, and Norris, 19, will become useful parts of the NHL. Maybe these future draft picks will take place. The general manager, Pierre Dorion, has not finished buying soon, either by concluding expiring contracts (Matt Duchene, Mark Stone) or looking for buyers for high-rate contracts (Bobby Ryan). And perhaps the senators will rediscover the relevance of this painful road. But it was hard to see Karlsson crying at his farewell press conference, lamenting "a very moving and sad day" and calling Ottawa "my home forever" and not wondering how nine seasons of 39 Elite could end like this.
"I do not think I ever imagined I would leave this place, but unfortunately we are here under these circumstances," said Karlsson Thursday, in response to a question from TSN about the fact that he has pushed back an extension. Senators offer in July. (His agent, Craig Oster, did not return a voice message from SI.) According to Melinda, Karlsson's wife had filed a request for protection against Mike Hoffman's fiancée. The Senators then traded Hoffman to San Jose, who then flipped him to Florida.
"I think they made it very clear in which direction they were going," Karlsson said later. "Unfortunately, I did not participate in that.
Of course, focusing on such disappointments is to ignore the more entertaining curiosities waiting in Karlsson's new home. As coach Pete DeBoer will share the ice time between Burns and Karlsson on the Sharks power play. Or if Vlasic will continue to skate with his longtime partner Justin Braun, guaranteeing that San Jose will either have him, Burns or Karlsson on the ice for every moment of equal strength. Or if Burns and Karlsson can become the first teammates of the blue line with 20 goals each since Sylvain Cote Washington, Kevin Hatcher and Al Iafrate in 92-93.
Now, it's a delicious pre-season sauce.
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