Will Erik Karlsson be dethroned as the best defenceman to play for the Senators?

We are nearing the eight-year anniversary of the blockbuster trade that sent two-time Norris trophy winner and fan favourite Erik Karlsson to the San Jose Sharks. At the time, this trade was a rather tough pill to swallow for Ottawa Senators fans, but in hindsight, this was one of the most pivotal moves in the franchise’s history, with the trade leading to the acquisition of core players including Tim Stützle, Josh Norris and eventually, Dylan Cozens. 

Although Karlsson has continued his career in both San Jose and Pittsburgh since this trade, his legacy in Ottawa as arguably the greatest defenceman in Senators history remains. His nine-season tenure in Ottawa included 627 games, 518 points (126 goals and 392 assists), five playoff appearances, two Norris trophies and four years of captaincy. The fanbase did not nickname him ‘King Karl’ for nothing. 

There has yet to be a player in Ottawa who has challenged Karlsson’s production, but one player could be on the doorstep: Jake Sanderson. Ottawa’s elite young blueliner isn’t Karlsson yet, but at just 24 years old, Sanderson’s current trajectory makes their parallels and comparisons increasingly interesting. 

Sanderson has the potential to be the best blue liner in Senators history

Sanderson, the fifth overall pick in the 2020 NHL entry draft, is about to enter his fifth NHL season and has been drawing attention leaguewide. This past season, Sanderson had 54 points (14 goals and 40 assists) in 67 games played. This equates to a 66-point pace over 82 games and perfectly matches Karlsson’s 66 points in 82 games at the age of 24. In the 2024-2025 season.

Sanderson had a career high of 57 points in 80 games played, which gives him 111 points over his last 147 games played and a 0.76 point per game production. His consistency over the last four seasons shows that his recent production isn’t a fluke, and he should continue to grow and develop into one of the best defensemen in the league. 

Senators fans have known that the team has something special in Sanderson for years, but his international play at the Four Nations tournament and the 2026 Milano Cortina Olympics have put him on the map and showcased his talents for all to see. He was also a Lady Byng finalist last season in recognition of his standout accomplishments and on-ice discipline.

With all this in mind, however, we can’t forget about King Karl. Karlsson still is the franchise-leading defenseman for single-season goals (21), assists (66) and points (82). Although the bar has been set, it is most definitely not out of reach for number 85. With his 66-point pace last season, which could have yielded 17 goals and 49 assists, Sanderson is easily in the hunt for the single-season goal record by a defenseman. He had a career high last season with 14 goals, and with an 84-game season on the horizon and another step in his development, this record seems to be well within reach.

Sanderson has also been in Norris trophy conversations, finishing 10th in voting for the second consecutive year. If Sanderson can remain healthy and improve his offensive production even more within the next few seasons, he will continue to rise amongst the ranks of Quinn Hughes, Cale Makar, Rasmus Dahlin and Zach Werenski.

As discussed on The Sick Podcast—Sens Spotlight by Alex Adams, Sanderson has already shown how he is one of the top defensive defencemen in the league, and if he can improve his point production, he will continue to dominate for years to come and possibly challenge Karlsson’s two Norris trophy wins during his time in Ottawa. It is also important to note that Karlsson and Sanderson both finished with 16 votes this past season. Although that may look rather equivalent, it is important to note the significant twelve-year age gap between the two players and that Sanderson still has many solid years ahead of him.

Karlsson’s legacy is still a massive feat to reach, but Sanderson is making a case for the possibility of catching and even surpassing him. With 181 points through 303 games, Sanderson’s impressive pace could catch Karlsson’s 518 career points in Ottawa in just five or six seasons, which makes it possible for him to do so without being an 80- or 90-point defenseman. Matching Karlsson’s accolades and playoff legacy is a taller order, but at just 24 years old, Sanderson has plenty of time to build a case of his own. For now, King Karl is the standard, but Sanderson could, and probably will, challenge it.

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