Erik Karlsson: Small Fish in a Big Pond?

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 U-20 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 5'11" 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-...