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Erik Karlsson on Ottawa: ‘I never wanted to leave this place’

Senators Sharks Karlsson Trade Hockey

Erik Karlsson, who as traded by the Ottawa Senators to the San Jose Sharks, speaks to media as the Senators reported for the first day of NHL hockey training camp in Ottawa, Thursday, Sept. 13, 2018. (Sean Kilpatrick/The Canadian Press via AP)

AP

There was no prepared statement. Erik Karlsson wanted to “speak from the heart.”

Karlsson addressed the Ottawa media following the announcement of Thursday’s trade that sent him to the San Jose Sharks. Everyone knew this day was coming. With the direction the Senators are currently heading, the best move for the franchise was to part with the face of the organization.

Fighting back tears, Karlsson explained that the Senators’ vision of their team going forward did not include him.

“I think they made it very clear in what direction they were going [in],” Karlsson said. “Unfortunately, I wasn’t part of that, and I respect that. It’s their decision and I wish them nothing but the best. I think that they’re going to do wonderful things. They have a good group of guys down there that are extremely motivated to keep pushing forward and doing whatever they have to do to be successful, not only this year but for a long time.

“I was not part of that plan. That’s why we’re standing here today. From my point of view, that’s sad. I never wanted to leave this place. At the same time, I respect their decision. That’s their decision to make and I wish them nothing but the best.”
[Erik Karlsson dealt to Sharks as Senators continue roster teardown]

In exchange for Karlsson, the Senators acquired a package of Chris Tierney, Dylan DeMelo, Josh Norris, Rudolfs Balcers, plus two conditional picks.

Ottawa’s “plan” has apparently been in place since February, going by what general manager Pierre Dorion said. It was put together by the GM and owner Eugene Melnyk and it was determined that a successful rebuild would not be possible without trading Karlsson, which would bring in a hefty return. The return was big, but we’re still years away from determing just how fruitful it will be for the franchise.

“This was not an easy situation for us to trade a player of Erik Karlsson’s caliber,” said Dorion. “But for us to be where we need to be for the long-term, we had to make this decision at this point in time.”

Last September, the Senators entered training camp coming off their most successful season in a decade. They even added Matt Duchene in the opening month, loading up for what they thought would be another playoff run. But then it all went south and the talk of extending Karlsson quickly transitioned into a trade sweepstakes. Over time it was a given that he would be moved, but the two-time Norris Trophy winner still felt surprised when it finally became a reality.

“I haven’t really wrapped my mind around that. We’re in this situation we’re in right now and you have to deal with it,” said Karlsson. “Once it settles down here a little bit you can start looking ahead and moving forward a bit. As of right now, it’s extremely emotional and a sad moment.

“Even though you’ve heard a lot of things about this could be possible, you can’t really prepare for any of this. So, it’s sad.”

MORE: Karlsson trade gives Sharks NHL’s most explosive defense

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Sean Leahy is a writer for Pro Hockey Talk on NBC Sports. Drop him a line at phtblog@nbcsports.com or follow him on Twitter @Sean_Leahy.