Blues' Hitchcock calls Karlsson an 'offenseman'

Fans aren't the only ones that awe at Erik Karlsson.

Upon visiting the St. Louis Blues on Tuesday night, opposing head coach Ken Hitchcock marveled at the swift blue-liner's skill set.

"He's a great skater but it's his anticipation that puts him ahead of everybody," Hitchcock told Bruce Garrioch of The Ottawa Citizen. "It's his reads, when to jump, when to go, when to attack. He just seems to be a step ahead mentally (of) most players playing that position."

The Ottawa Senators captain lived up to the praise, delivering what's become a standard one-assist, two-hit, five-block performance in 24:16 of ice time, a key cog in the 6-4 win.

Hitchcock went on to coin Karlsson's unique style of play with a special term.

"We consider him to be an offenseman and we consider him to be a guy that's dangerous when you have the puck," Hitchcock said. "If you have the puck, and you make a puck error and he's on the ice, he will make you pay for it every time. That's just what exceptional thinkers do."

He has a point. After all, not too many defensemen lead their teams in scoring three seasons in a row, and counting:

It's no wonder Karlsson has two Norris Trophies to his name.