Who Will be the Caps' Best Defenseman in the 14/15 Season?

[Midnight Judges]

Simple question.

Click to read more...

 

[txpd]

whats your over under for anyone voting other than Carlson/Alzner?

 

[Barry Amsterdam]

Green

 

[AlexBrovechkin8]

Green

I voted Carlson, but it wouldn't surprise me in the least if this were true.

 

[Liberati0n*]

Carlson obviously.

 

[LifetimeUFA]

I voted Alzner, should do well with a guy like Trotz running the ship. I dont expect Green to put up big numbers although I think he will bounce back

 

[txpd]

If Green is given the primary offensive assignments including first pp unit and added minutes when the team is behind, then I think he has a huge season.

Otherwise, I think Alzner solidifies himself as an elite shut down defenseman.

Oprik will begin the season with Carlson as the shutdown pair and as always happens it will end up back with Alzner and Carlson handling that load

 

[Carlzner]

Carlson.

Not close.

 

[SpringfieldSkins]

Probably Carlson but I could see Alzner turning into a top tier defensive defenseman under Trotz. I think that Green will have the best year he's had in a while.

 

[RandyHolt]

Shiny Nisky

 

[Midnight Judges]

You gotta wonder if Carlson is going to start feeling like he's underpaid - making $4M per season through 17/18.

 

[Carlzner]

You gotta wonder if Carlson is going to start feeling like he's underpaid - making $4M per season through 17/18.

What difference would it make if he felt like that or not?

 

[trick9]

Carlson.

Most improved: Alzner.

 

[g00n]

What difference would it make if he felt like that or not?

feelings = motivation = performance

 

[RandyHolt]

Random thoughts and odds on being best our D

Can anyone shed some light on the work of Trotz in Nashville WRT rapidly developing young defensemen; bringing out offense from more of a DD guy, anything of note ?

I think Green is fully cooked. All he that can be done with him, is to motivate him to be physical, sweat etc, and teach him how to take hits. He has the motivation of being UFA$$$, but he will see limited reps to rack up points and forever remains an injury candidate. 5:1

Carlson has potential to bust out, but with Nisky and Green here, will he get the chance to? I just hope he is very coach-able, hasn't grown accustomed to a finesse game, and sheds a little of the fat cat fat I saw. He has big skates in front of him, for now 10:1

Alzner showed me in the playoffs vs the Rags he can do so much more that we have seen. Sure he may hate offense but he remains our LD of the future. I want to see Trotz try to make him an all situation LD - top priority. To hell with Trotz saving Green. It will take a year. 25:1

Niskanen like Carlson and Green will have somewhat limited offensive reps. If the top offensive guys don't rack up points, how great as fans do we think they did? Not very. I hope he hits and shows Carlson how its supposed to be done. But he is the shiny new toy, entering his prime, and should be in favor with coaches 2:1

Orpik may be rejuvenated but I can't help but think he is already half coach. If he can stay healthy and plays like he did 5 years ago, he could easily take charge of our floundering listless D and steal the title of best dman. He may feel like a kid again, but he ain't: 25:1

Orlov - no chance this year to be our best D. With no chance of an LD getting PP time here, he is on long term simmer. We did see him doing some good things with the puck late last season, but he just will not get the TOI to steal the crown as best D in 14. 100:1

 

[txpd]

feelings = motivation = performance

whats your remedy?

 

[HeyMattyB]

You gotta wonder if Carlson is going to start feeling like he's underpaid - making $4M per season through 17/18.

He probably feels like a guy who--at 22 years old and coming off his original entry-level contract--locked up a deal that will earn him close to $24 million by the time he becomes a UFA at 28 years old in 2018. At which point his game will have (hopefully) developed even further, and the salary cap will continue to have skyrocketed up, and he'll be able to lock up yet another long-term deal for serious UFA money--significantly more money than UFAs were offered this offseason.

Why would a guy who signed his first RFA contract two years ago be looking at the money UFAS are getting paid two years later and think, "Hey, why aren't I making that kind of money?" Unless he and his agent are stoned out of their minds. (Which, to be fair, might be the case here...)

 

[Stewie G]

whats your over under for anyone voting other than Carlson/Alzner?

The very first response to a very simple question is.... a question! Nice work.

whats your remedy?

If you keep this up, I'll be drunk by noon.

 

[garrett s]

I gave up on Green a long time. Going with Carlson

 

[HeyMattyB]

I'm just hoping to see pretty big jumps for Carlson and Alzner in terms of their development under Trotz + Reirden.

 

[swimmer77]

1. Carlson
2. Alzner
3. New Nisk
4. Older Orlov
5. Hand Grenade Green

 

[HeyMattyB]

1. Carlson
2. Alzner
3. New Nisk
4. Older Orlov
5. Hand Grenade Green

.
.
.
.
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6) Old Man Orpik?

 

[Hivemind]

I'm waiting until I see the pairings and utilization to answer this.

 

[g00n]

whats your remedy?

Um, to do his job and get a better agent if he doesn't like his contract? Why do you ask? Do I need to solve every hypothetical problem before commenting on it?

/questions

 

[Devil Dancer]

Best overall? Carlson. Him and Nisky are the only two with a history of strong play at both ends. Most improved? Hopefully Green. This team will be soooooooo much better if Green has a strong season than if he doesn't.