Ottawa Senators: Erik Karlsson 2017-2018 Season Preview

It may just be August but the 2017-2018 NHL season will be on our hands before we know it. Training Camp will start in September and all the players will be brought together as they prepare for another season. With August as a down month in the NHL I thought this would be a great time to preview each of the players on the Ottawa Senators for next season.

If you missed it here’s our last preview!

Ottawa Senators: Johnny Oduya 2017-2018 Season Preview

The Ottawa Senators have been gifted with some great players over the years. From Alfredsson, to Redden, to Heatley, many players have been superstars in the NHL while with the Sens. However, none have come close to how great Erik Karlsson is. Karlsson is coming off his second straight season as runner up for the Norris Trophy. Both seasons many fans, not just of the Sens, believe that Karlsson was robbed of his third and fourth Norris Trophies.

Heading into next season Karlsson should once again be poised for a Norris caliber season. Karlsson has been known for his offence for years. He was the first defenceman in years to surpass 80 points in 2016. He was the first in even longer to lead the league in assists. However, many criticised him for his defensive game. They said that he was a liability on defence and only cared about scoring. Now this was untrue in the first place. Anyone who paid attention to advanced stats or watched him regularly would know that. However, last season he established himself as not just the best offensive defenseman, but among the best defensively.

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The Best Defenceman In The World

Karlsson has established himself as a top three talent in the league and has the potential to get even better. Next season he will have a new partner on his left side. His long-time partner Marc Methot was taken in the expansion draft. The two most likely candidates are Oduya and Claesson. However, there’s also a possibility that if Chabot proves himself qualified quicker than expected that he could take up the job. Regardless of his defence partner, Karlsson is the least questionable part of the Ottawa Senators for next season. Barring an injury Karlsson should once again be the best defenceman in the world.