The Ottawa Sun recounts how in describing how tenacious the Senators have been by overcoming injuries to so many key players, legendary coach Scotty Bowman also had some pretty high praise for Erik Karlsson.
Bowman, a senior advisor in the Chicago Blackhawks front office and a part of 12 Stanley Cup winners, said losing Karlsson to a torn Achilles was a tough blow because he has attributes in his game that remind of him of Boston Bruins great Bobby Orr.
"(Karlsson's) acceleration with the puck ... I've seen a lot of great defencemen in my day, but his explosiveness when he goes after the puck is great," said Bowman.
"I remember when Bobby Orr started in the league, the critics said, 'Oh well, he's only an offensive player. Wait until he has to play defence.' Karlsson plays the game at special pace. A lot of guys skate fast, but to be able to handle the puck the way he does is what I've noticed about him.
"He's got that extra thinking ability like he's on the point. A lot of his goals are a result of him just getting the puck at the net. He has the power, accuracy and passing skills to play the game at a high pace."
Bowman believes Karlsson will bounce back from this setback. He noted Maurice "The Rocket" Richard tore his Achilles in November 1957, but came back to help the Montreal Canadiens win their third straight Stanley Cup.
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