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Throwback Thursday: Greatest Players at Each Position in Senators History

By Daniel Bruce

OTTAWA, CANADA - APRIL 27: County men and team mates Daniel Alfredsson
OTTAWA, CANADA - APRIL 27: County men and team mates Daniel Alfredsson /
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OTTAWA, ON – MAY 19: Erik Karlsson #65 of the Ottawa Senators skates against the Pittsburgh Penguins in Game Four of the Eastern Conference Final during the 2017 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at Canadian Tire Centre on May 19, 2017 in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Jana Chytilova/Freestyle Photography/Getty Images) *** Local Caption ***
OTTAWA, ON – MAY 19: Erik Karlsson #65 of the Ottawa Senators skates against the Pittsburgh Penguins in Game Four of the Eastern Conference Final during the 2017 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at Canadian Tire Centre on May 19, 2017 in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Jana Chytilova/Freestyle Photography/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** /

Right-Defence: Erik Karlsson

Career Stats (OTT): GP: 627 G: 126 A: 392 P: 518

While Daniel Alfredsson is referred to as the “greatest” Senator of all time, the best player the team has ever had has to be Erik Karlsson.

The two-time Norris Trophy winner was the best defenceman in the NHL during a six-year stretch from 2011-2017 and it wasn’t particularly close either. Other than the two Norris Trophies he won, he finished second in voting for the award twice during that stretch as well and could easily have two more in his trophy case if not for some questionable balloting.

During his time in Ottawa, Karlsson was consistently compared to the greats, primarily Nicklas Lidstrom and Bobby Orr, he matched up very well with Lidstrom in his first 9 seasons:

The star defenceman reached a career high of 82 points in the 2015-16 season, racking up 66 assists which tied for the lead in the whole league. The highest assist total for a defenceman since Brian Leech in 1996.


The peak of Karlsson’s career had to be in 2017 during the Stanley Cup Playoffs where he led Ottawa one-goal away from the Cup Final all on a broken heel, and torn ligaments in his foot. Finishing the improbable run with 18 points in 19 games, even receiving a Conn Smythe vote for his efforts.

Karlsson’s pass to Derek Brassard versus the Bruins in Game 2 will without a doubt go down as one of his best plays ever, but even that dynamic play doesn’t compare to the saucer pass he sent to Mike Hoffman in Game 3.

The pass combined with the finish makes this the nicest goal in Senators’ history with not many close to its level.

While Karlsson was phenomenal for all of his career with Ottawa, he finally got the recognition he deserved because of his heroic efforts during the playoff run.

Honourable Mention: Zdeno Chara

The big “Z”, Chara played four seasons in Ottawa and had 146 points in 299 games, a decision was made to keep Wade Redden over the towering defenceman when he left in 2006.

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