Skip navigation
Favorites
Sign up to follow your favorites on all your devices.
Sign up

Sens’ Karlsson not close to pre-injury form, says coach

Ottawa Senators v Toronto Maple Leafs

TORONTO, CANADA - JANUARY 17: Erik Karlsson #65 of the Ottawa Senators stretches in the warm-up prior to a game against the Toronto Maple Leafs on January 17, 2012 at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto, Canada. (Photo by Claus Andersen/Getty Images)

Getty Images

Even though he’s averaging a point per game and nearly 27 minutes a night in the playoffs, Erik Karlsson isn’t the same player he was prior to suffering a lacerated Achilles.

Just ask his coach.

“I don’t think he’s close to what he was before he got injured,” Paul MacLean told the Ottawa Citizen. “He was a dominant, dominant player, possibly the best player in the league at the time of his injury.

“Our expectation wasn’t that [his play] would be at that level.”

This is likely a case of coach protecting player.

In Game 1 of Ottawa’s Eastern Conference semifinal against Pittsburgh, Karlsson looked a step slow and somewhat hesitant during one of his poorer postseason efforts.

The reigning Norris winner didn’t look especially good making a questionable pinch (also laboring to recover) on Pascal Dupuis’ goal:

That said, MacLean knew getting Karlsson back so quickly after such a serious injury would result in adjusted expecations.

“Our expectation is that Erik is going to make us a better team because of his abilities to move the puck and help us on the power play, to quarterback that,” MacLean explained.

“Our expectation isn’t that he’s the Norris Trophy-[winning] Erik Karlsson. We just want him to come out and play and help our team win, and let his teammates help him.”