C Leo Carlsson (2023, 2nd, ANA)

[TLEH]

In the AHL they lift weights during the week, because they have that midweek gap in the schedule. The soreness is gone by the weekend.

The Ducks decided the best thing for Carlsson's development was playing him with the best talent in their organization, but not for 82 games. It is the most sensible approach I've seen with a physically immature prospect, and it's refreshing. I hope they're sticking with it (we don't know what their plan is game to game).

Ignoring the AHL/NHL conversation. I haven't even noticed Leo being that underdeveloped physically anyway. He seems fine.

 

[majormajor]

Ignoring the AHL/NHL conversation. I haven't even noticed Leo being that underdeveloped physically anyway. He seems fine.

Wait until you see the results a year or two down the road.

 

[Crede777]

Ignoring the AHL/NHL conversation. I haven't even noticed Leo being that underdeveloped physically anyway. He seems fine.

I think a lot of it has to do with injury concerns you see with big players who enter the league as a teenager.

If he was 6'2" I bet Anaheim brings him along like Zegras.

 

[Peasy]

I find it hard to believe he isnt physically mature enough for the NHL. Hes a big kid, and its not like hes super skinny. Sure he can add a couple pounds of muscle, but why do they NEED to do it during the season and not just save that for the off season where every other player focuses on weight gain and training then. If the ducks dont make the playoffs, hes going to have more than enough time to focus on that.

No one player is going to be great and consistent right from the start, they will all go through lulls and struggle at some point. Need to struggle to learn how to overcome it.

For Carlsson, by next season, I don't think it really matters if he played 75 games or just 60. I think the end result will be extremely similar, and would be nearly impossible to determine which route is more effective. But I do think withholding him from the lineup for this "strength building" in season will hurt the ducks team more as a whole (think thats easy to show through how the team is doing with or without him in the line up).

 

[Static]

Yeah I think its a bit weird to see a team rest a guy that good so that he can lift weights during the season. Its unprecedented. Its even weirder that when they go 7-3 in their L10 or lose a guy to injury they seem to abandoned the plan.

Abandoned because he played one more game once? Don't you think you're overreacting?

 

[Gliff]

You've been a big advocate for this plan - are you frustrated that they've so quickly abandoned it to chase short term success?

Honestly I don't pretend to know what is best for his longterm development. I trust that the professionals (the team, doctors, agent, and player) know better then me. I'm only passionate about people misrepresenting this as a "rest him so he will be fresh for the playoffs" type plan.

You don't lift a bunch of weights during the season its lunacy man.

I know we've gone round and round on this topic but I kinda echo what Whiskey is saying. If you're on board from the start, which you have been, then it seems like the abandoned it to chase Ws. If its all about development that seems shortsighted.


If its the plan to build muscle and do some strength and conditioning program you don't deviate from the plan because another guy is hurt. Its because they're 6-2 and playing well.

Ya, because there is no time to rest and recover when you are playing an NHL game every other night.

You're literally making my point for me lol.

 

[TLEH]

Ya, because there is no time to rest and recover when you are playing an NHL game every other night.

You're literally making my point for me lol.

I understand WHY they don't do it. To me Leo Carlsson isn't any different. Its time to play hockey and win games. Progress on the ice. He can do workouts in the offseason. He isn't even getting physically outmatched out there anyway. To me its all a waste of time.

 

[TLEH]

Abandoned because he played one more game once? Don't you think you're overreacting?

Just having a conversation about a unique situation with a great player. Don't think its overreacting or underreacting just feels like an opiniated conversation.

 

[Sean Garrity]

Based on his on ice performance and production, whatever the Ducks are doing now seems to be working, even if that means deviating from "the plan" for a game or two.

 

[HanSolo]

Just happy that this kid seems to be shaping up to be a stellar player, potentially franchise quality player for the Ducks. After such a disappointing season, it's comforting to know that their lottery "consolation" prize is a player of this quality.

Ignoring the AHL/NHL conversation. I haven't even noticed Leo being that underdeveloped physically anyway. He seems fine.

Physically, no. In the interest of fairness, he could stand to be a little stronger on his skates though. While he's got good size for his age, he seems to have the occasional issues with getting knocked to the ice or losing an edge. It's nothing serious but with his play style it's an area of his game that needs some improvement.

 

[TLEH]

Just happy that this kid seems to be shaping up to be a stellar player, potentially franchise quality player for the Ducks. After such a disappointing season, it's comforting to know that their lottery "consolation" prize is a player of this quality.


Physically, no. In the interest of fairness, he could stand to be a little stronger on his skates though. While he's got good size for his age, he seems to have the occasional issues with getting knocked to the ice or losing an edge. It's nothing serious but with his play style it's an area of his game that needs some improvement.

Yeah. I think that is to be expected, though. I'd rather him play 75+ games this year and get used to the schedule.

Its all a matter of opinion. I don't necessarily think there is a way to prove that the plan is a good idea or not. Just because he will have success this year doesn't mean it was attributed to load management. Maybe its just because he is a great player.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

I understand WHY they don't do it. To me Leo Carlsson isn't any different. Its time to play hockey and win games. Progress on the ice. He can do workouts in the offseason. He isn't even getting physically outmatched out there anyway. To me its all a waste of time.

Kid has never played more than 44 league games in a season and that was last year. Before that it was 35 then roughly in the 20s every single year.

I'd say that's a little bit different, you're asking an 18 year old kid to more than double his workload in a better league and halfway across the world vs. the toughest matchups every night.

Like you said in the post above you'd rather him play 75+ games but that would arguably run a higher risk of injury especially through reps and fatigue.

I'm sure he'll end up playing 60+ games which is a nice jump and progress.

 

[VictorLustig]

Kid has never played more than 44 league games in a season and that was last year. Before that it was 35 then roughly in the 20s every single year.

I'd say that's a little bit different, you're asking an 18 year old kid to more than double his workload in a better league and halfway across the world vs. the toughest matchups every night.

Like you said in the post above you'd rather him play 75+ games but that would arguably run a higher risk of injury especially through reps and fatigue.

I'm sure he'll end up playing 60+ games which is a nice jump and progress.

That’s a weird way of counting. Carlsson played 85 competitive games last season, not counting pre-season.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

That’s a weird way of counting. Carlsson played 85 competitive games last season, not counting pre-season.

Yeah i mean if you don't see a difference between playing Austria's juniors and the Tampa Bay Lightning on a nightly basis then there's really no point in the conversation.

A lot of people being unnecessarily obtuse about what makes complete sense.

 

[HanSolo]

Yeah. I think that is to be expected, though. I'd rather him play 75+ games this year and get used to the schedule.

Its all a matter of opinion. I don't necessarily think there is a way to prove that the plan is a good idea or not. Just because he will have success this year doesn't mean it was attributed to load management. Maybe its just because he is a great player.

No argument from me. I'm pro play young players as much as possible. That was a big irritation for me with Cody Glass in Vegas. It wasn't bad enough that they mismanaged him his rookie year playing him with a possession black hole in Cody Eakin on his off position on the third line where he was relegated to chasing pucks Eakins coughed up constantly, but the following year they made him ride the press box most of his season and tried to supplant game time development with just participating in VGK practices when AHL Henderson was a drive across the valley away for first line AHL minutes.

I don't like seeing top prospects ride the press box. But in this case, Leo is already so far along that I'm not overly concerned if they occasionally scratch him from games here and there. Not quite the same situation as Glass who would go weeks without playing hockey games. That kind of situation is truly unacceptable and inexcusable. Your young hockey player either plays hockey games at some level of the sport or you are spectacularly f***ing something up with the their development.

 

[KaseMeOutside]

We will know more about this plan when the back to backs start up here again. My guess is you won't see him playing both

The last 2 games he has looked more explosive so maybe the hip injury was holding him back a little.

In a perfect world he and McTavish would play on the same line but they want both playing center

 

[Kalv]

It was also visible in his SHL highlights, he likes to drive the middle

 

[Peasy]

Cant wait to see what he does next year.

Him and McTavish are going to make a killer 1-2 punch. McTavish is such a stud.

 

[ScarTroy]

Was thought to be less NHL ready than the others, but he’s been more impactful than the other forward rookies other than Bedard.

 

[Waterbuf]

Appears to have great chemistry with MacT on the PP, I wish Zegras was healthy and playing well because the Z-Terry-Carlsson line seemed to have good chemistry in the few games they played.

 

[Jared Dunn]

Was thought to be less NHL ready than the others, but he’s been more impactful than the other forward rookies other than Bedard.

Was he really though? I recall most of the draft analysts saying he was small for his frame but they all seemed to agree he could step into the NHL right away

 

[ScarTroy]

Was he really though? I recall most of the draft analysts saying he was small for his frame but they all seemed to agree he could step into the NHL right away

He was for sure thought to be NHL ready, but less ready than the others (Bedard, Fantilli, Cooley.) Not so much because of his play, more so because of the increased work load and his frame not being filled out.

 

[HanSolo]

Appears to have great chemistry with MacT on the PP, I wish Zegras was healthy and playing well because the Z-Terry-Carlsson line seemed to have good chemistry in the few games they played.

Nah. Their first game together in preseason looked good. After that the chemistry was practically zero.

 

[HanSolo]

He was for sure thought to be NHL ready, but less ready than the others (Bedard, Fantilli, Cooley.) Not so much because of his play, more so because of the increased work load and his frame not being filled out.

And adapting his game to the NA ice surface and pace of the NHL. That was my biggest concern through preseason. Not so much his skating but his timing of puck decisions with less space and higher pace.

I'd say there's still room for growth there, but he's farther along than I thought. Good indicator of his future potential.

 

[Kalv]

Appears to have great chemistry with MacT on the PP, I wish Zegras was healthy and playing well because the Z-Terry-Carlsson line seemed to have good chemistry in the few games they played.

They looked exciting but it did not result in anything. Zegras and Terry are heavilly struggling offensively under Cronin so Leo was the best player on the line, lol