GDT G10 Capitals @ Blackhawks 7:00pm Sun Oct 20, 2019 NBCSWA, NHLN, NBCSCH

[PUCKNRUSH]

Oh yeah, and our Norris candidate is looking damn good this year.  I always have (and probably always will) give Johhny Q a lot of grief about his marshmallow play, but he has looked good this year.  Surprised we haven't heard the Norris word mentioned in every breath from Locker so far.

I too, Rich, have to credit Carlson!
Two reasons:
I’ll probably never like much of his TOTAL defensive game. It typically looks slow reacting, with an obvious avoidance of heavy physical contact, when required, chronic unnecessary icing, and so on! Eternally hard to accept, ESPECIALLY with his physical size at around 6’3”, 215!
HOWEVER....


1) He seems to be making an honest attempt at a more overall physical game, and his defensive decisions have slightly improved overall, so far! (Still would prefer to see his fat ass out of the crease, as he can’t commit to the physical play necessary for that role)! But I digress....


2) Even though I would have preferred hearing reports from practice, starting last year, thru present day, that Carly was working of defensive skills, there WERE reports, throughout, that Rierden has focused attention at Carlson, working and improving his OFFENSIVE skills!
Hands down, I have to admit, this seems to have paid off, as we see the start of some league-leading assist numbers, some quite accurate, and deadly, slap shots, and some greatly improved passing, especially in setting up good SOG chances!


I know that if ‘ol Maaco we’re still here on the boards, he’d be having a coronary by now!LOL😂


No worries, he’s still Johnny Q to me! But for now it’s Johnny Q, with some good O numbers!🤣
It’s much easier to overlook some of Carly’s negatives, like we do Ovi’s aimless skating around, sometimes, when there’s a credible, positive offset!!


(Maybe his wife reads our BOARDS)!


Rush

[Beaglefan2]

Rush - let's not get carried away on Carlson - ha!  I think the assist stat is mostly worthless.  If they just tracked primary assists it would be more meaningful. Secondary assists are just coincidences 90% of the time.  Also, keep in mind that a good percentage of Carlson's assists are passing over to Ovie on the PP - which is a set pattern play.  Yes, he does it well, but I don't consider that a quality assist.


I will say, his overall offensive game is pretty good.  His shot from the point has improved significantly and he is good when he joins the play.


Now, if he would just use that big body in the D zone.....

[PUCKNRUSH]

Rush - let's not get carried away on Carlson - ha!  I think the assist stat is mostly worthless.  If they just tracked primary assists it would be more meaningful. Secondary assists are just coincidences 90% of the time.  Also, keep in mind that a good percentage of Carlson's assists are passing over to Ovie on the PP - which is a set pattern play.  Yes, he does it well, but I don't consider that a quality assist.


I will say, his overall offensive game is pretty good.  His shot from the point has improved significantly and he is good when he joins the play.


Now, if he would just use that big body in the D zone.....

LMAO, Beags!😂
Point taken!
I agree that those secondary assists are cheap points, and Carly has a TON of ‘em!
What freezes me mainly, to never sincerely warming up to the guy, is two-fold:


1) His God-given size, relative to his RELUCTANCE, yes I said RELUCTANCE, to NOT be physical on defense. It’s not ignorance, in that he doesn’t understand HOW to be physical. He just blatantly, and routinely AVOIDS it! In other words, a CHRONIC PUSSY!!!


2) The fact that he inherited the most GRAVY, of opportunities, from the time he was drafted, evolving further to spotting the PP puck, for one of the best PP snipers in NHL history, combined with the NEVER-ENDING, way overkilled, positive media treatment,(especially from Joe and Locker), that has habitually force fed us, ad nauseam, through the years, over-inflated BUNK, on even the littlest of trifles about Carlson’s play, yet, SIMULTANEOUSLY, we hear crickets mostly, on his frequent and obvious defensive shortcomings, that are too numerous to mention!


 I realize the media part is not Carlson‘s fault,  but it just helps to sour the already bitter opinion, I have held on him over the years! LOL!


Additionally, his synaptically slow, and boring, vanilla commentary, is so predictable, and repetitively void of specifics, as to convey the famous Quaalude induced, lazy, no-give-a-shit, appearance, that draws those fans of our ilk, so WARMLY to him!!! BWAAHAHAHA!😂


I will say that at one point, my disdain for him, was quite visceral!
But somewhere during last season, with the 8 YEAR, we’re-stuck-with-his-ass, CONTRACT, inked and done, I resigned myself to attempting acceptance of the situation, as an overall stress preventative! LOL!


I DID begin to take note that he was developing a pretty wicked slap shot, that was more accurate, than the desperate fling-and-hope shit, he had been doing,in prior years, to try and makeup for his crappier production slumps, that were habitually the NORM for him, beforehand!


That, and the fact that, for reasons I don’t completely understand, practically every Caps player, in the locker room, LOVES the guy! Go figure?


 I’m not too proud to admit that I don’t know why, but it is pretty evident.
 I accept it, and this, any way you slice it, is certainly overall GOOD for our team!


Here’s to Johnny Q!  Inheritor of a silver platter, career opportunity, that he may be just starting to scratch managing it, at over .500!!😂🤣😂🤣


 Good to hear from you Beags,  I trust all is well!
 
Rush