Why Doesn't John Carlson Get More Norris Love

Ovie's Neighbor

Registered User
Jan 23, 2007
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People who haven't watched the Caps over the years underestimate how good of a PP QB Carlson is. We have tried other players in his spot and nobody is even close to Carlson at the right point. His fake shot/pass to Ovechkin is a huge reason why Ovi is able to continue to score from his spot when everyone knows it is coming anyways.
 

Carlzner

Registered User
Oct 31, 2011
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Denver, CO
Not surprised to see Machinehead in here.

Hilarious how he keeps trying to push the "Carlson is bad at defense" narrative. I wish I cared enough to dig back a few years when he was arguing Shattdeuces was better. Good times.

Carlson is great in his zone. Great stick check, physical presence, good at getting the puck out of the zone. He has played well in a shutdown role before. 9-2 are a better pair at shutting down top lines right now, yes... so what? How is that evidence of Carlson's defensive game? Carlson was still tasked with shutting down elite players vs Tampa and Pittsburgh and did fine.



Not posting this as "evidence" it's just impossible to find defensive clips on Youtube and there are a few examples near the end of this one.
 

Midnight Judges

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Feb 10, 2010
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People who haven't watched the Caps over the years underestimate how good of a PP QB Carlson is. We have tried other players in his spot and nobody is even close to Carlson at the right point. His fake shot/pass to Ovechkin is a huge reason why Ovi is able to continue to score from his spot when everyone knows it is coming anyways.

Dude Mike Green was better, but other than him yeah I agree.
 

Revelation

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Aug 15, 2016
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Then why did Trotz deliberately and consistently give Niskanen the harder matchups?

He works well with Orlov who is himself a top pairing defenseman and who primarily takes the puck up the ice and does a lot of the hitting and bodywork. Josi-Ellis is a better pairing than Hamhius-Subban but that doesn't mean Ellis is better than Subban. Niskanen rushes the puck once in a while whenever he feels comfortable while Carlson is forced to be the guy at both ends almost all the time. Block shots, take the body, clear the crease, rush the puck, shoot/make plays in the offensive zone, he does everything with the puck/against the puck carrier that both Niskanen and Orlov do but much more regularly. The guys he usually has to work with are green like Djoos/Schmidt before he broke out or over the hill/purely stay at home guys like Orpik/Alzner who rely on him completely to move the puck.

Niskanen is more cerebral and better man to man than Carlson but it's like Stralman vs Hedman, Stralman may (or at least was) better positionally but overall it's not close.
 
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