Just wondering how high you guys are on Karlsson. Ive watched him play alot and he is very good at carrying the puck and he has great vision. But the rest if his game can be very questionable. He isn't great defensively and he is pretty soft. Any if you guys that get frustrated with Carlson would probably get frustrated with Karlsson as well. Carlson is better defensively and is more physical. I have no problem with Karlsson but I wouldn't deal for him unless they can keep him longer than the year he has left. It would also depend on the price tag.
He was hurt some of this season, and that whole team had a lot of personal issues specific to Karlsson, his wife was apparently being cyber bullied by Hoffmans wife, and even mocked for the stillborn baby. Which also happened.
For me EK is better than JC. I do think that JC plays a more physical brand of defense, specifically as related to riding people into the boards. But I think EK is ultimately better defensively because I think he has better IQ, positioning, and a defensive stick. EK is way more Nick Lidstrom to me, especially when he is really on. Your entitled to your opinion, but defensively the NHL seems to think EK has been better given Norris wins. The big thing for me and why I'd argue EK over JC, is A, keeping either of them long term is a salary problem no matter what. But EK isn't a UFA this year he is one next year, and I think giving up a prospect and some picks to get him makes more sense than overpaying JC. Especially when we have no idea regarding rebuild in the future with Ovie getting older etc.
And I think EK gives us a better chance to repeat this season than JC. JC is clearly a good player, make no mistake about it. I just think overpaying him hamstrings us in a way that I don't completely feel the same about with certain other players. Like overpaying Kuzy, or Nicky or Ovie. Is different to me. JC is good, but I don't see him on the same tier as those other elite players, and to me EK is on that tier. JC is close though. The big knock on JC is that he's a risky player, far more than EK. Yes EK skates up the ice and joins the rush but he's so well aware of the play and is so much faster than JC that he almost always gets back. I do think JC has a better one timer from the point, and a harder more accurate shot. But EK is a far better passer, and trying to fathom putting EK up there with Kuzy and Nicky down low and all the passing options?
I'm not going to complain if we keep JC, I just hope we don't have to pay too much.
