A Reporter Had To Remind New Defensive Partners Erik Karlsson And Marc-Edouard Vlasic Of The Time The Latter Tried To Impale The Former With His Stick

Asked Erik Karlsson today about the time his new partner Vlasic speared him in Ottawa in 2016.

Karlsson: "Oh fuck, I haven’t even brought that up yet.”

(Turns to Vlasic): “(Remember) when you tried to end my life in Ottawa two years ago?”

Vlasic: “Didn’t work.”

— Kevin Kurz (@KKurzNHL) September 26, 2018

​Just a little confirmation that calling it an attempt to take his life was only a mild exaggeration by Erik Karlsson...

Vlasic's spear on Erik Karlsson last night. (zoomed-In replays) pic.twitter.com/Yw47Inrl5z

— Robert Söderlind (@HockeyWebCast) December 15, 2016

I'd say that long overdue conversation between foes turned friends is about a good a look as you're going to get into hockey culture. Just one man laughing off his attempt at decapitation with the same man whose head he tried to put on a stake. Causal. Ho hum. No biggie. From engaging in the type of ruthless brutality you'd expect from the most savage of Spartans to unapologetically bullshitting about a little drawn blood. Why would that be awkward? 

The fact that, despite happening only two years ago, this was an incident that didn't even cross the mind of either player as they got to know each other and readied themselves to play alongside one another for what promises to be a long, long year (and potentially many more) tells you all you need to know about how often the animosity is left on the ice. Just boys being boys by trying to gut each other like fish in the name of competition and having no hesitation in eventually softening any hard feelings in a shared booze bath. Standard operating procedure as far as hockey locker rooms are concerned. Can't even possibly understand why someone outside them might find that weird!