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Carr's Character, by Andrew Saadalla |
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Very few NHL rookies manage to score their first goal in their first game. Less players do so on their first shift, and significantly less succeed on their first shot on net.
Enter Daniel Carr, a 6’0, 195-lbs NCAA title-winner with Union College who pulled off a feat that only six players before him ever have: Mario Lemieux, Neal Coulter, Luca Caputi, Nikita Kucherov, Anders Lee and Johnny Gaudreau. They lit the red lamp on their first attempt while not necessarily doing so on the first time their skates hit the ice with their respective National Hockey League clubs.
Thrust into action in December of 2015 during the start of what would become a monumental and historic collapse of a team riddled with injuries, Carr filled in nicely during the absence of Brendan Gallagher on the right wing. He immediately grabbed the attention of management and the coaching staff thanks especially to his nose for the net. He never feared getting into the dirty areas in an attempt to distract opposing goaltenders and his work ethic has been praised by all of his coaches from his playing days in the United States and even in the American Hockey League. While his shot might not scare goalies, he does exactly what he needs to in order to score goals. That would explain why he was unexpectedly the team’s leading scorer for the month of December. He netted 6 goals in a 23-game stint while adding 3 assists for 9 points.
There’s no question that a young player who was technically on pace for a 20+ goal (full) season deserves a shot in next year’s lineup. In fact, his versatility in being capable of playing on both the left and right wings could allow him to surprise many and join the top-6, although he’d be a tremendous addition to a third line with the mandate to provide offense. This would ensure three capable and consistent scoring combinations for Michel Therrien and should the injury bug bite, Carr could fill the void within the top-6 forward group.
The Habs made him a qualifying offer this summer and the restricted free agent accepted the two-year, one-way deal with a $750,000 annual average salary. A bargain to say the least, he’ll have two seasons to show that he’s capable of scoring on a regular basis and hopefully earn himself a more lucrative contract. For now, his focus should be on proving that he belongs in the NHL and that management did not make a mistake in signing him to a two-year contract. Look for him to be a pleasant surprise in 2016-2017.
Montreal Canadiens Blogger • 
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