National Post (National Edition)
Senators begin to move forward without Karlsson
‘We know that we can do some good things here’
OTTAWA • For the Ottawa Senators, it’s time to move on.
Twenty-four hours after captain Erik Karlsson was dealt to the San Jose Sharks in a blockbuster deal Thursday afternoon, the Senators hit the ice Friday for the first time at the NHL team’s training camp.
And though, they were hardly shocked by the news the 28-year-old Karlsson was dealt to the Sharks for two players — centre Chris Tierney and blueliner Dylan DeMelo — along with two prospects and a package of draft picks, the Senators know they have a massive void to fill.
Even though Karlsson’s now former teammates knew the deal was coming because it had been speculated about for nearly eight months, there will still be an adjustment period as this full rebuild of the organization shifts into high gear.
Tierney and DeMelo were en route to Ottawa on Friday and are expected to join training camp Saturday.
“It’s always tough to lose a friend,” said alternate captain Mark Stone. “I say that every time somebody gets moved, but guys really are close and you spend every day with each other.
“It’s always a shock to the system when anybody gets traded, no matter who it is. You always expect it, but you never really know how to react to it. At the same time, this is the group we have. We’re excited with the group we have and some of the kids out there (in camp Friday) were our best players. It’s time to move forward.”
Of course, there will be changes on and off the ice without Karlsson in the fold. Defenceman Thomas Chabot is expected to skate with Cody Ceci in the top pairing, while many of the team’s blue-liners will see their ice time increased because Karlsson played nearly 30 minutes a night.
Ceci also now occupies the stall that used to belong to Karlsson in the dressing room, but it should noted many of the players were moved around in the offseason so it’s not like this is a huge revelation. But make no mistake, the Senators know it’s going to be different without him around.
“It’s pro sports,” said defenceman Mark Borowiecki. “He’s a guy we all liked and respected and he’s a fantastic hockey player, the most skilled defenceman in the league, but that’s the way it goes sometimes. He has every right to explore whatever option he wants but, by thesametoken,theteamhas every right to move an asset whenever they want.”
Borowiecki said the Senators can’t use Karlsson’s departure as an excuse.
“That’s a great way to suck the life out of a locker-room right away,” Borowiecki added. “We’ve got a great group of guys in here. This secondary leadership group we have in here, we know that we can do some good things here.
“We’re not going to sit around, drag our lips and mope and feel sorry for ourselves. Are there going to be tough times? For sure, it’s expected. We’ve got some great ideas right now. We’ve had some positive meetings.
“The true test is going to be: What happens if we go on a five-game slide? I’m not saying it will happen, but it might and how do we react as a group? That’s going to be true test.”