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Ottawa Senators Karlsson Prepares for World Cup of Hockey

By Ian Smith

Mar 31, 2016; Saint Paul, MN, USA; Ottawa Senators defenseman Erik Karlsson (65) skates with the puck in the first period against the Minnesota Wild at Xcel Energy Center. the Ottawa Senators beat the Minnesota Wild 3-2. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 31, 2016; Saint Paul, MN, USA; Ottawa Senators defenseman Erik Karlsson (65) skates with the puck in the first period against the Minnesota Wild at Xcel Energy Center. the Ottawa Senators beat the Minnesota Wild 3-2. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Ottawa Senators may benefit indirectly by the World Cup of Hockey being held from September 17-October 1.

There’s always the risk of injury befalling a valuable player, but it’s also a way for players to get into shape at a quicker rate than a typical season.

This is the first World Cup of Hockey that is being held since 2004, and Erik Karlsson looks poised to have a great tournament.

The Ottawa Sun had a great story about Karlsson accelerating his offseason conditioning in order to prepare for the NHL-sanctioned tournament.

Karlsson playes for Team Sweden, which will begin their training camp on September 5 in Gothenburg.

“I’m obviously putting more effort on being on the ice and trying to get the legs going,” said Karlsson, referring to how this offseason differs from last one.

He drew criticism around this time last year because he wasn’t in the best of shape, but clearly it didn’t effect his regular season.

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He lead the NHL in assists last season, which was the first time a defenseman pulled off that feat since Bobby Orr during the 1974-1975 season.

For now, Karlsson is shifting his allegiance away from the Senators and towards his country. Depending on how Team Sweden fares in the tournament, he could end up missing most of the Senators’ training camp.

That might not be a bad thing from the Senators’ perspective. Karlsson will be in great shape for the regular season, assuming no injuries occur during the World Cup of Hockey.

It’s really a debate that gets evoked from these international competitions when players are getting paid so much money from their NHL franchises.

It’s hard to fault an owner for not wanting their high-priced asset to risk injury by playing for another team.

However, the pride generated from representing your country in international competition is a powerful allure.

As long as NHL players are allowed to participate in international competitions, owners will simply have to keep their fingers crossed, because most players will embrace the opportunity to represent their country.

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We wish the best of luck to Karlsson and the rest of the players participating. Above all else, I’m rooting for a tournament without any serious injuries.

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