Player Discussion Leo Carlsson

[Anaheim4ever]

Yeah I think every indication is that the Ducks made the right call with the Leo selection with the goal being drafting a bona fide first line center. Fantilli and Bedard may stick with those roles but Leo plays the all around game better than they do. They're both closer to Michkov-like wingers than they are true first line centers.

That's not to say Leo will undoubtedly exceed their offensive production, but in the past few drafts, Leo is one of only a few guys including Celebrini who play a true 1C style of game. As far as I'm concerned, the Ducks made the right call in 2023.

I think all of Bedard, Michkov, Fantilli, Smith will be great players but I wouldn't trade Leo for any of them 1 for 1. Elite quality first line centers are so important and so hard to acquire. Leo has some work to do to reach that quality but he's the best chance we've got at one.

Well Chicago can bump Bedard off center when they draft a Center at #3 overall whether it be Desnoyers, O'Brien or Frondell. I think Desnoyers would cover up a lot of the defensive blackholes that Bedard leaves behind.

 

[HanSolo]

The WC is showing us that if Carlsson is on a line with more offensively talented forwards, then his scoring prowess goes up. Carlsson playing with Lundy at the WC is throttling down Carlsson's offense. Anaheim landing an actual RW1 this summer, instead of putting Killorn there, will boost Carlsson's as well as Cutter's offensive productions.

Yeah the Killorn partnership needs to end. We did a season of veteran mentorship but it's time to start optimizing Leo and Cutter's offensive threat and Killorn is only going to get older and slower already at 35 years old. By the time the season starts he'll be 36 years old which is retirement age for many players.

 

[Dr Johnny Fever]

Sure he is. And still, this debate is so strange to me. It is a little bit complaining you got Mats Sundin while you could have had Joe Sakic.

HF would be cut in half if some posters couldn’t argue about winning a trade or a draft pick every time a guy plays well for a short period of time. Some people are too insecure.

 

[HanSolo]

HF would be cut in half if some posters couldn’t argue about winning a trade or a draft pick every time a guy plays well for a short period of time. Some people are too insecure.

Or we had a number of posters earlier in the season complaining that we picked the wrong guy because Leo was slumping and posts like mine are intended more to say out pick was just fine and arguably ideal. Fantilli is gonna be a great player and Columbus is lucky to have him.

 

[Kariya 9]

Well Fantilli had 31G, 54P this year. He's a good player.

Happy that Leo is starting to find his game there. He has looked so dangerous at times, exciting to watch. And again, I've seen him hit and push people in this tournamen. He's not Pronger but when it matters, he can be a bit physical, which is great.

Fantilli played all 82 games. So there's that.