Erik Karlsson: A Small Fish in the Ottawa Senators' Big Pond of Defensemen

Of the eight defensemen under contract by the Ottawa Senators, seven of them suited up in the NHL last season.

The other is Erik Karlsson.

Karlsson, 19, is arguably the top prospect in the Senators system. The smooth-skating Swede was taken with the 15th overall selection in the 2008 Entry Draft.

The Ottawa faithful have already witnessed a sneak peek at Karlsson during last winter's U20 Championship where he led Sweden to a silver medal. His ability to move the puck and produce offensively has left Sens fans highly anticipating his arrival.

However, the question is when.

Although Karlsson is a very skilled blueliner, it appears the deck could be stacked against him.

The native of Landsbro, Sweden, is listed at 5-foot-11 and nudges the scale at 165 pounds. Though he is working on his strength and conditioning, it's hard to imagine he would grow into his frame until his early-to-mid 20s.

Senators GM Bryan Murray signed Karlsson to a three-year, entry-level deal in early May with the hopes that his young defender can run the powerplay while spending minimal minutes at even strength.

While Karlsson hasn't had a history of struggling in his own zone there could be some concern if he can't adapt to the North American game.

Another issue that could prevent Karlsson from playing in Ottawa next season would be the Sens' current depth on the blueline.

As it stands Chris Campoli, Filip Kuba, Brian Lee, Chris Phillips, Alexandre Picard, Jason Smith and Anton Volchenkov make up the defensive core in the nation's capital.

While none of these players are legitimate puck-moving defensemen, it would be hard to see any of them being sent down to the American League.

One scenario that the Senators would like is if they found a team that is willing to take Smith off their hands. The grizzled veteran battled a late-season injury and is not getting any younger.

There's no question Ottawa wouldn't mind seeing his $2.6 million cap hit vanish into thin air.

That move would put Karlsson into the top seven where he would be in competition with Lee and Picard for the final two spots—a competition that could either be a benefit or a detriment to Karlsson.

Lee and Picard aren't typical offensive defensemen and are more effective when used in a defensive role.

On the other hand, Campoli was acquired before last year's trade deadline and contributed on the scoresheet with 13 points in 25 games in Ottawa.

While we're talking numbers, why not talk Filip Kuba? After all, he did set a career-high in points last season with 40.

Karlsson may have better offensive instincts than Lee and Picard, but is he really needed with Campoli and Kuba in the lineup?

I suppose that question can be answered when training camp opens.

It's evident that the Senators blueline is crowded with plenty of uncertainty as to who will start the season.

At the end of the day, it will be up to Murray and coach Cory Clouston to make the tough decisions that could propel the Sens back to the playoffs this season.

As for Karlsson, he might have to wait just one more season before making a permanent trip to Ottawa.

But if he manages to out-play his competition during the exhibition schedule, don't be surprised to see him on Broadway on Oct. 3 when the Sens take on the New York Rangers.