Karlsson eager for Senators to play NHL100 Classic against Canadiens

OTTAWA --The world's largest skating rink, as designated by Guinness World Records, is in Ottawa. So, too, is Erik Karlsson, who earns his living wearing skates.
Yet somehow, someway, the Ottawa Senators defenseman's steel blades have never made contact with the famed Rideau Canal, a 4.8-mile frozen stretch for skaters each and every winter in Canada's capital city.

Karlsson offers an apologetic chuckle when asked why he hasn't taken advantage of the Canal, which many locals consider to be the city's sheet of dreams.
RELATED: [Complete NHL 100 Classic coverage]
"I've been here nine years now and I've never done it," he said. "It's still something I'd like to do, but our schedule really hasn't allowed the time for it too much. Hopefully, I'll get a chance to do it one day in the near future. I've heard so many good things about it from friends.
"There was a pond we skated on a bit growing up, but in terms of hockey, I've never really played hockey outside too much. That's one of the reasons I'm looking so forward to doing it against the Montreal Canadiens. I finally get the rare chance to skate outside in Ottawa."
Karlsson and the Senators will host the Montreal Canadiens in the 2017 Scotiabank NHL100 Classic on Saturday (7 p.m. ET; NBCSN, CBC, SN, TVA Sports). The venue will be Lansdowne Park, which is located less than two miles from the Canal.
The original Senators and Canadiens were two of the founding members of the NHL, and they played each other on the League's opening night, Dec. 19, 1917. The NHL100 Classic will be the culmination of the League's Centennial Celebration and coincides with Canada's 150th anniversary, the Senators' 25th anniversary and the Stanley Cup's 125th birthday.

For Karlsson, 27, the event provides the chance to play outdoors in the elements, something he hasn't done very much in his life. It is an opportunity he looks forward to embracing.
"Growing up (in Landsbro, Sweden), I skated some outside, but I didn't play a lot of games outside," the Senators captain said. "We had most of our games indoors. We only had one team in the area that didn't have an indoor rink.
"We did skate at a little park outdoors and we'd skate there for hours. When it got really cold, I'm sure we didn't like it too, too much. So looking back, it was a huge thing. And I appreciate it."
On March 2, 2014, Karlsson and the Senators played the Vancouver Canucks in the Heritage Classic, a game that was supposed to be played outdoors. But those plans were squelched when a morning drizzle in Vancouver led officials to the decision to keep the roof closed at B.C. Place in order to keep the playing surface from digressing into a slushy mess.
"We did play in a not-so-outdoor game in Vancouver a few years back, which I thought was amazing even though we were in Vancouver and we really didn't get all of it," Karlsson said of Ottawa's 4-2 win. "So, I'm really excited to have an outdoor game at home. And to be able to do it in Ottawa in front of our fans, makes it that much better."

There will be no chance of rain plaguing the event. The forecast for Saturday evening has the temperature around 21 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 6 degrees Celsius) and a 30 percent chance of snow, according to theweathernetwork.com.
Given that Montreal is a two-hour drive away, Karlsson expects the buzz in Ottawa to be at a fever pitch.
"I think it's going to be great," he said. "It's going to create a lot of excitement around the city beforehand. I think it's going to get businesses booming a little bit, especially restaurants and nightlife, which is good for our city. And just overall, playing Montreal, it's a team that has a big fan base in this city, so it's going to create a lot of good things.
"The city is going to really enjoy this. I think we're going to get the community involved in a good way. So I'm really excited for it. And I think everyone else is as well."
In the process, Karlsson plans to enjoy every moment of the experience.
"These days, I wouldn't say outdoor hockey was dead, but I'd have to say it's probably pretty rare in most places," he said. "So when you get the chance to do it, it's so much fun."