Player Discussion Brandon Carlo II

[finchster]

Let's be honest, when you are Carlo's size and don't fight, your chances of having a long career in Boston are slim.

 

[PatriceBergeronFan]

He's proven himself to be a very high level shutdown dman. Haven't his detractors here been watching him these past few years This?

This run has been an aberation. Something is wrong whether mental or physical, but he has a long impactful career ahead of him.

He's never been consistent. A stretch of good games followed by a stretch of soft, invisible games. Carlo needs to figure it out if he is to be relied on as a top 3 shut down defenseman.

 

[Sheppy]

Let's be honest, when you are Carlo's size and don't fight, your chances of having a long career in Boston is slim.

Doesn't need to even fight, but just use his size effectively.

 

[Kalus]

He's never been consistent. A stretch of good games followed by a stretch of soft, invisible games. Carlo needs to figure it out if he is to be relied on as a top 3 shut down defenseman.

Huh. I dont know where to find stats to back either argument up, but I feel like he has been about as solid and consistent as you could hope for a young non-superstar dman these past two seasons (this playoffs aside).

 

[Riley 88]

Let's be honest, when you are Carlo's size and don't fight, your chances of having a long career in Boston are slim.

Not only does he not fight....But he very rarely clears the net.....Or hits aynone enterig the zone. I listen to offers. Maybe someone over rates him like people on this board.

 

[BigBadBruins7708]

it's bad when your 6'5 and 5'9 Krug and Gryz show more grit and hit more than you do.

maybe its wishing the tide to stop, but he needs to add the physical element to his game and make people pay for coming into the D zone

 

[loosemoose]

Not only does he not fight....But he very rarely clears the net.....Or hits aynone enterig the zone. I listen to offers. Maybe someone over rates him like people on this board.

As much as Krug takes heat for being bad defensively, Carlo is like anti-Krug. I doubt he has made a great pass in the offensive zone since he left peewee. When he's playing well he's great in his own zone, but has absolutely no ability past the red line. Honestly think Adam McQuaid - no disrespect to him -might've had better vision.

 

[JCRO]

Pre bubble and bubble Carlo were two different players.

Pre bubble Carlo, imo, was continuing off a strong playoff run from last year in this season. Shutting down players of all skill ranges. Really looking like he was taking that next step. Was even on pace for 23 pts which would’ve been a career high. Finished with 19 which still was.

Bubble Carlo looked rough. Had a tougher time keeping pace. Supposedly added muscle weight and it didn’t help much.

I’m not concerned however. Imo he enters the upcoming season and continues to progress.

 

[Kalus]

it's bad when your 6'5 and 5'9 Krug and Gryz show more grit and hit more than you do.

maybe its wishing the tide to stop, but he needs to add the physical element to his game and make people pay for coming into the D zone

Few like the physical part of the game more than me, but I am fine with the way Carlo plays. He is very effective at what he does, even without the physicality and the offense. Those two qualities just aren't in him.

For many years, he'll be a very effective shutdown guy you can trust on the second pair without taking up too much cap. He seems like a solid citizen type teammate too.

 

[BruinsFanSince94]

Who are some bigger defenseman that maybe started out on the softer side but learned some toughness/physicality?

 

[Colt.45Orr]

Let's be honest, when you are Carlo's size and don't fight, your chances of having a long career in Boston are slim.

I don't want him to fight much at all...but you look at a guy like Cernak who is from the same draft and the same size and he's 5x more physical than Carlo...

 

[Dr Hook]

Few like the physical part of the game more than me, but I am fine with the way Carlo plays. He is very effective at what he does, even without the physicality and the offense. Those two qualities just aren't in him.

Who are some bigger defenseman that maybe started out on the softer side but learned some toughness/physicality?

I believe Kalus is right- it just isn't who he is and doubtful it ever will be. We'd have seen some signs of it by now. I can't really think of anyone that went from passive like Carlo to a more rugged guy. It seems like they either have it or not. Colt mentioned Cernak up above, but that guy has had that as part of his game. Carlo was never like that.

 

[BruinsFanSince94]

I believe Kalus is right- it just isn't who he is and doubtful it ever will be. We'd have seen some signs of it by now. I can't really think of anyone that went from passive like Carlo to a more rugged guy. It seems like they either have it or not. Colt mentioned Cernak up above, but that guy has had that as part of his game. Carlo was never like that.

He doesn’t even need to drastically add to it. Just use the size more and get in on the scrums. Do we remember that game a few seasons ago against Pittsburgh? How he was with Malkin? Just be like that more. Something pissed him off and that kind of kicked him into gear. He played like that for a decent stretch after but it fizzled. It comes out every now and then but not even gamely. It’s like shiftly.

 

[Dr Hook]

He doesn’t even need to drastically add to it. Just use the size more and get in on the scrums. Do we remember that game a few seasons ago against Pittsburgh? How he was with Malkin? Just be like that more. Something pissed him off and that kind of kicked him into gear. He played like that for a decent stretch after but it fizzled. It comes out every now and then but not even gamely. It’s like shiftly.

I do remember that. He has a super long fuse it seems like. Even when he is in a scrum, which to his credit he doesn't shy away from, he has this Mr. Rogers look on his face most of the time. Someone suggested his teammates just rile him constantly- don't let him take his turn on Mario Kart, put atomic heat in his jock, shit like that

 

[hrdpuk]

Carlo is an excellent shut down D . He's young and has a cap friendly contract . By the time he's 25 Boston will be lucky if they can afford him.

 

[Dr Hook]

Carlo is an excellent shut down D . He's young and has a cap friendly contract . By the time he's 25 Boston will be lucky if they can afford him.

I am sure they will be able to. What pure shutdown D men that put up 10-15 points a season get silly money?

 

[BruinsNetwork]

I don’t think trading a 6’4”, U25 fleet-footed defender with upside is ever a good decision. Especially when the line of players behind him starts and ends with Clifton. Carlo, despite struggling at times or whatever, is of the rare breed of big defenders who can actually keep up with modern pace and smaller players. Trading him is completely reactionary, emotional instead of calculated, deliberate.

The dude was a horse last year all the way up until the last possible game of the entire season— Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final. The grass isn’t greener on the other side where Carlo will be traded and someone else will be coming in.

I know people are still upset or mad or whatever they are because the Bruins lost to Tampa, but let’s face it, this was an outlier year. Tampa was limping into the postseason, as well as the Islanders and other teams who made the playoffs and remain in for the time being. These teams benefitted most from the COVID-19 shutdown and the teams like Boston were visibly thrown out of whack.

It’s not really an excuse, just more of a reality that this year had a wrench thrown into the gearbox and it became a complete crapshoot afterwards. Anyways go outside, pour yourselves your favorite alcoholic beverage (or non-alcoholic, no shame whatsoever) and take a walk around the neighborhood.

 

[DaStinger]

Carlo isn't part of the problem imo.

McAvoy -
Carlo -

That's a great start to a solid D, it's the other part of each pairing which needs help.

 

[BruinsBtn]

Carlo isn't part of the problem imo.

McAvoy -
Carlo -

That's a great start to a solid D, it's the other part of each pairing which needs help.

100% agree.

Every team in the league is looking for a young, cheap shutdown defenseman like Carlo

 

[The don godfather]

Having carlo and McAvoy reminds me of rangers having mcdounagh and Girardi in their prime with those good rangers teams. They were just too good back there . We gotta keep them together.

 

[LouJersey]

Doesn't need to even fight, but just use his size effectively.

37 career playoff games and 14 PIM and 61 hits total. Borderline pathetic for a guy that needs to be a physically imposing shut down defenseman during the most physically grueling time of year. I'm trying to give everyone the Covid benefit, but of all the players he was my most disappointing this play-off season.

 

[Dr Hook]

37 career playoff games and 14 PIM and 61 hits total. Borderline pathetic for a guy that needs to be a physically imposing shut down defenseman during the most physically grueling time of year. I'm trying to give everyone the Covid benefit, but of all the players he was my most disappointing this play-off season.

I agree, Lou. He was God-awful this post-season. So much so that I stole someone's line from here while watching the games and refused to call him Brandon Carlo and called him Crandon Barlow instead. Didn't even look like the same player from the regular season.

 

[LouJersey]

I agree, Lou. He was God-awful this post-season. So much so that I stole someone's line from here while watching the games and refused to call him Brandon Carlo and called him Crandon Barlow instead. Didn't even look like the same player from the regular season.

Again, will give the Covid pass but it was shocking to me, glad to see I wasn't seeing things.

 

[JOKER 192]

Carlo isn't part of the problem imo.

McAvoy -
Carlo -

That's a great start to a solid D, it's the other part of each pairing which needs help.

Carlo is not the problem and I'm sure his covid performance is a one off but If you could sign AP and get a good return for Carlo , it wouldn't be the worst asset management we have ever seen in Boston.

 

[arider1990]

Carlo is not the problem and I'm sure his covid performance is a one off but If you could sign AP and get a good return for Carlo , it wouldn't be the worst asset management we have ever seen in Boston.

If the bruins signed AP I would rather see him next to mcavoy and have Carlo still be where he is.