Karlsson gets standing ovation from Senators fans in return to Ottawa

OTTAWA -- Erik Karlsson's era with the Ottawa Senators is finished.

Thomas Chabot's is just beginning.
When it comes to Senators defensemen, there was an unofficial passing of the torch from Karlsson, the mentor, to Chabot, the pupil, at the Canadian Tire Centre on Saturday.
GAME RECAP: [Karlsson, Sharks lose to Senators in defenseman's return to Ottawa]
Chabot, 21, watched in awe from the Senators bench as the capacity crowd gave Karlsson, 28, a well-deserved standing ovation in the first period of Ottawa's 6-2 victory against the San Jose Sharks. It was Karlsson's first game against his former team since being traded to the Sharks on Sept. 13.
"I learned so much from him," Chabot said. "Of course it would be different if he was still here. He'd be the best player on our team, if not the best player in the NHL, the best teammate. He'd have more power-play time, more ice time. I'd have less.
"With him gone, I have an opportunity and am just trying to make the best of it."
He is doing just that.
Chabot, selected No. 18 in the 2015 NHL Draft, had two assists Saturday and leads the League in scoring for defensemen with 31 points (seven goals, 24 assists).

He said Karlsson was a big help to his development, especially last season, his first full one with the Senators.
Now here he was, playing against the man who had taught him so much. True to form, Karlsson gave the kid another lesson on this day, swooping over to knock the puck away just as Chabot thought he had an open lane into the Sharks zone early in the game.
The two exchanged light-hearted barbs about the play in the hallway between the two dressing rooms during the first intermission.
"We were just having some fun," Chabot said. "I mean, of course it was different seeing him in a different jersey, but we saw it as another game. He's not the first player coming back after a trade or something else. But it was a great game and we were happy the way we played and we're happy to get the win."
Karlsson was similarly enthused about being able to play in front of the Ottawa fans again. But the loss -- the Sharks' fourth in a row (0-3-1) -- left a bitter taste in his mouth.
"I was happy to be back but it wasn't a good game for us," Karlsson said. "We're struggling right now. You are going to go through periods like this. We're a better team than we've shown in the past four or five games here. We know that. At the end of the day it's up to us in the room to figure that out."
Karlsson spent Friday chatting with his close friend, ex-Senators forward Daniel Alfredsson, who had gone through a similar experience of returning to Ottawa with another team exactly five years earlier.
Alfredsson, a mentor to Karlsson with the Senators from 2009-13, left Ottawa as a free agent to sign with the Detroit Red Wings in 2013. Alfredsson scored a goal and had one assist in his return to Ottawa on Dec. 1, 2013. The 4-2 Detroit win was a mere sidebar to the love shown to Alfredsson by the crowd of 20,011, which chanted "Alfie, Alfie!" during a pregame video ceremony honoring his 17 seasons with the Senators.
"I remember Erik and I drove to the rink together that day," Alfredsson said. "Now here he is going through what I did.
"He was fine. He knew it would be emotional and awkward. It's like telling somebody that's expecting a kid, you can't explain it until you go through it. It's the same thing here. We're all different. You can't prepare for it, that's impossible. My only advice: I just told him to enjoy it and take in the moment."
He did exactly that. So did the fans.

The Sens Store, the official in-house team apparel and souvenir shop, marked all Karlsson items 50 percent off. They were swamped with buyers.
"When the doors first opened before the game, there were a lot of people rushing in to get anything and everything that said Karlsson on it," employee Ian Wyllie said. "I knew we were going to sell some. I didn't think it would be as crazy as it was. It was a lot more than I thought it was going to be."
The Karlsson love-in continued once the puck was dropped. He was cheered the first time he touched it, although there were a handful of jeers too.
A video thanking him for his years with the Senators was shown during a break six minutes into the first period, spawning a standing ovation. Karlsson, with tears in his eyes and a smile on his face, skated along the boards and waved at the fans.
The game did not go so well for him. Karlsson did not have a point, was minus-2, led all players in shots with nine and was second in ice time at 24:55. Fittingly, only one player -- Chabot -- had more (26:23).
"I had a lot of good memories in this rink," Karlsson said. "I was drafted here. I spent pretty much most of my career here. Obviously a lot of positive things, and it was very enjoyable to be out there in front of those people again.
"I was happy to experience this but it's going to be nice to move on."
He's done just that with the Sharks, leaving Chabot to take over the reins with the Senators.