While living in Pitt, I didn’t get Root and Pittsburgh has a deal which blacks out every national game besides NBC, so I didn’t watch Murray a lot unless friends and I went to the games or out to bars, but if Murray’s 5-hole and, especially, glove side didn’t improve, there’s a strong gap for Holtby and Murray.
Offensively speaking, Letang is, career wise, a better option than Carlson, but I have to go with what a Dman is actually there to do; defend. Sullivan even said Letang has to be better, because he was faltering really badly/regressing in his own zone. The edge in Ozone play goes to Letang, but I’d take Carlson pretty much any day since he’s good in his own Zone.
That’s also the thing too... “if old Letang is back”. Not trying to call you out or go after everything you’re saying, but it doesn’t look like the good Letang is back. The injuries have kind of derailed his D play, not necessarily his Ozone play. Sure everyone can say he rides the Ozone play if Crosby/Malkin and so on, but the same thing could be said about Carlson with Ovi and their depth.
Career wise, yeah the Penguins kind of wash everyone away and it may not be close. Based off of recent play, I think that Holtby and Carlson bridge the gap that Crosby/Malkin/Kessel have over Ovi/Backstrom/Kuznetsov
