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Norris winner Karlsson to leave Finnish team

2012 NHL Awards - Portraits

LAS VEGAS, NV - JUNE 20: Erik Karlsson of the Ottawa Senators poses after winning the James Norris Memorial Trophy during the 2012 NHL Awards at the Encore Theater at the Wynn Las Vegas on June 20, 2012 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)

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Erik Karlsson’s time in Finland is coming to a close.

Karlsson, the Ottawa defenseman currently playing with SM-liiga club Jokerit, has announced he’ll leave the Finnish league when his contract expires on Saturday.

The Ottawa Citizen reports the reigning Norris Trophy winner will return to his native Sweden and wait for the NHL lockout to end.

“Erik was excellent, we were very happy and it was a pleasure having him,” Jokerit GM Jarmo Kekäläinen said via e-mail. “He will be missed. Good player and a great guy.”

Karlson has been a dynamic scorer for Jokerit -- 27 points in 27 games -- and played a key role in the club’s increased attendance. Kekäläinen said the club was averaging 9,600 fans per game this season, “a lot higher” than figures from 2011-12.

It’s understandable why Karlsson wants some downtime prior to the (possible) start of the NHL campaign. This will mark the first season of his seven-year, $45.5 million extension, one that carries at $6.5 million cap hit annually.