Sens thrilled to have ‘real’ Karlsson back
Ottawa’s superstar defenceman is fully recovered from off-season foot surgery and it showed against the Habs
Erik Karlsson looked like he was having fun in the great outdoors.
Recovering from off-season foot surgery, this may have been the best Karlsson has looked since the Senators returned from Sweden on Nov. 12 after beating the Colorado Avalanche in back-to-back games in the Global Series.
Not only did the Senators captain finish a plus-three in Ottawa’s 3-0 win over Montreal, he set an outdoor game record with 32:15 of ice time, eight blocked shots and seven shots on net as the club scored its second straight victory.
Meanwhile, the cameras caught him dancing on the bench, and he saluted the fans at the end of the game.
You can’t turn back the clock, but the Senators advanced to the Eastern final against the Pittsburgh Penguins last spring based on the strength of Karlsson’s play and strong goaltending.
“This was 100 per cent (Saturday),” said coach Guy Boucher. “When Erik defends that hard and that well, the rest of his game follows. He was outstanding.
“We definitely rely on our captain, we rely on our goalies and we rely on all of our players, but when those leaders are going like Erik was going, like (Anderson) was going, and (Matt) Duchene had a terrific game. It’s really something where I feel like we’re moving in the right direction.
“Mainly, it’s (being in) shape for Erik, it’s timing, but it’s also chemistry with the rest of the players.”
Boucher always said the surgery was going to slow Karlsson down and the coach felt it would take until Christmas to get his game back.
“He wasn’t able to do any exercise. He didn’t have training camp. He had to wait,” Boucher said. “After a week of training, he started playing games again. People thought that because he’s Erik Karlsson, he’s Superman. I’m sorry. It was to me, and our staff, that the real Erik Karlsson wouldn’t come to the surface before Christmas.
“That’s exactly what happened. Any athlete in his position would need time to catch up. Erik Karlsson can catch up with the group faster than the others, but there is still a normal process to respect. When he understood that he had to take his time, he was less frustrated. He is calmer. It’s been changing for a few games.
“When Erik Karlsson is at his best, and our goalkeepers look what they should look like, our club is moving forward.”