Erik Karlsson, Ottawa Senators
Harper Cotie
This week, we check in on the “dumpster fire” happening right now with the Ottawa Senators. The 2017-18 NHL season was a rough one for the nation’s capital, and it only got worse this summer. A team that was one goal away from reaching the Stanley Cup finals a year ago, ended up in the league’s basement this season. The Senators had a 28-43-11 record, which was good for 67 points and 30th place overall. Just five points above the last-place Buffalo Sabres.
Things started to go down-hill back in November, after Senators General Manager Pierre Dorion, gave up the world for centreman Matt Duchene in a three-way deal, involving the Colorado Avalanche and the Nashville Predators. The Senators coughed up 2017 first-rounder Shane Bowers, a first round-pick and a third-round pick in this year’s draft, and Andrew Hammond, in exchange for Duchene. Nashville received Kyle Turris from the Senators as the third team in this deal. So, the Predators gave up smooth-skating defenseman Samuel Girard, Vladislav Kamenev, and a 2018 second-round pick. The Senators lost in this deal, big time!
It’s important to note that the Senators chose to keep their high, first-round pick in this year’s draft and give Colorado their first-round pick in next year’s draft (2019). That fourth-overall pick, turned into Boston University stand-out Brady Tkachuk. The next bad thing that the Senators endured this season was the behaviour from their owner Eugene Melnyk. In mid-December, the Senators and the Montreal Canadians, played in the NHL 100 Classic outdoors on Parliament Hill in Ottawa. This game was huge for the Senators organization and the city of Ottawa.
Even though, the Senators desperately need a downtown arena and even though it was causing a headache in Ottawa, Melnyk spoke out before the game and said that he could see the Senators somewhere else. Not at all the right time or place to come out and say that as an owner. Let’s fast forward to this summer for the Senators. A total disaster. In June, two stories broke out, involving the wife of franchise defenseman Erik Karlsson, Melinda Karlsson, and forward Mike Hoffman’s fiancé Monika Caryk. Melinda claimed her, and Erik were cyber-bullied online by Monika. This came after the devastating news about the loss of the Karlsson’s’ new born son back in April.
Hoffman was traded out of Ottawa in a hurry, because of these allegations. Unfortunately for the Senators, Hoffman is a skilled winger, with a cannon of a one-timer, and they received next to nothing in return. The next thing was Senators Assistant General Manager Randy Lee being accused of harassing a 19-year-old male, at the scouting combine in Buffalo. Lee finally resigned months later, just last week, after nothing was done. That’s on Melnyk’s end, and quite frankly, the city of Ottawa has had enough of him.
Moving on to the fact that Erik Karlsson’s days are numbered in Ottawa. It’s very clear that Karlsson doesn’t want to be there after what’s been going on, and the fact that the Senators can’t afford to extend the Swedish defenseman long-term. Karlsson is now set on being dealt to a contender in the Western Conference. The Dallas Stars have the best shot to land Karlsson in my mind, for a Marc Methot, Erik Karlsson reunion. The Senators will most-likely have to throw in Bobby Ryan in a deal, which will hurt the value in return for Karlsson. This is due to his $7.25 million-dollar cap hit for the next four years.
Most recently, Senators goaltender Craig Anderson said that he loves Ottawa, but he’s “too old for drama”. It’s all drama right now in Ottawa. On the bright side, there are some young players to look forward to in the nation’s capital. Brady Tkachuk is fresh off his entry-level deal and will be in a Senators jersey in October. Thomas Chabot will be full-time on the back-end, along with centreman Logan Brown and Colin White. With their AHL organization, the Belleville Senators, you can look forward to seeing Filip Gustavsson continue to develop in net, along with speedy forwards Alex Formenton and Drake Batherson. It’s going to take time for things to turn around in Ottawa.