The hype over Senators captain Erik Karlsson has reached staggering heights, and not even Rangers coach Alain Vigneault was left untouched.
As the Rangers and Senators prepare for Game 1 of their second-round playoff series Thursday in Ottawa, Vigneault was asked to compare Karlsson with his own captain and fellow defenseman, Ryan McDonagh. When faced with that comparison, Vigneault couldn’t help but heap praise on the opposition.
“I love our captain, but theirs, he is in a league of his own,” Vigneault said after Tuesday’s practice. “What he can do with the puck, the plays that he can make and the way he can see the ice, there’s no doubt that we’re going to have a real special plan for him.