Talk about Capitals hockey & more! > Washington Capitals & Other Hockey Discussion
GDT#33 Penguins @ Capitals 8:00p.m. Wed Dec 19, 2018 NBCSN, TVAS
Maacoshark:
You know Rush we could break down the defensive abilities of Carlson if you wish. I guarantee he isn't as bad as you state. One on one defence he is fine, probably best on the team. He also plays odd man rushes as well as any if our other dmen. His gap control is good. He has a good stick, keeping his stick in passing lanes and blocking passes. Probably best on the team again. His board play is fine. He is big and strong enough to handle himself in battles on the boards. He is good positionally. He is also our best shot blocker. He is decent on the pk. His only real weakness defensively is his lack of physical play.
He does get caught pinching at times and he definitely makes some lazy plays with the puck but those aren't defensive plays.
I said that I thought he was average or a bit better defensively for an NHL dman. So with 31 teams using 6 regular dmen that would mean if he was average he would be around the 93rd best defensive dman in the NHL. And you really think that's not a fair assessment?
That's not very good. I think my assessment was unfair the other way. He is better than 93rd.
If we are going to rip any of our dmen it should be Orlov and Niskanen. Orlov we kind of knew was an adventure in the dzone but Niskanen is supposed to be our shutdown down guy. He hasn't been very good. Not as bad as Orlov but not a lot better.
So I really dont understand how you feel Carlson is playing so poor defensively.
Beaglefan2:
It isn't that Carlson is playing better or worse than our other defenseman, its that Carlson has the body, the skills and the potential to play significantly better than he does. He could clear the crease if he wanted. He could play more physical if he wanted. He could skate faster to get to pucks or save time if he wanted. The fact that he plays a lot of minutes is not a valid excuse for any of this.
Its either lack of desire, lack of hockey IQ, or both that keeps him from being one of the top defensemen in the league. Very frustrating.
Maacoshark:
--- Quote from: Beaglefan2 on Saturday December 22, 2018, 09:16:49 AM Eastern ---It isn't that Carlson is playing better or worse than our other defenseman, its that Carlson has the body, the skills and the potential to play significantly better than he does. He could clear the crease if he wanted. He could play more physical if he wanted. He could skate faster to get to pucks or save time if he wanted. The fact that he plays a lot of minutes is not a valid excuse for any of this.
Its either lack of desire, lack of hockey IQ, or both that keeps him from being one of the top defensemen in the league. Very frustrating.
--- End quote ---
Carlson has the skill and physique to be a dominant 2way dman. I dont think its lack of hockey IQ. I would say laziness and lack of intensity.
We can say the same thing about most number 1 dmen around the league. Their plenty if so called elte defensemen that aren't any better. Karlsson, Burns, Josi, Klingberg, Subban Letang are all considered elite dmen and none of them are great defensively. In fact some of them are pretty bad.
My biggest problem with Carlson is that he is 6'3 and 215 lbs but plays like he is 180lbs. The brainfarts get annoying but he is cleaning those up. Not near as many as there used to be.
DC_1908:
about 55 sec in, Gleason sums up Carlson looking good defensively . .
the rest of this is hysterical as well
Mickstix:
Careful what you wish for with Carlson.. He decides to "get physical" and in a few years we could be stuck with an 8 million dollar injury prone D man.. That contract is looooooong..
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