Toronto Maple Leafs: Connor Carrick Having a Strong Postseason
Coonor Carrick has played a vital role for the Toronto Marlies this postseason, to the point where he could earn more attention in training camp with the Toronto Maple Leafs next season.
When the Toronto Maple Leafs traded Daniel Winnik to the Washington Capitals, many were pleased with the fact they got a second round draft pick in the 2016 draft. Granted the Leafs had to take Brooks Laich‘s contract in order to get the deal done, but it also allowed them to acquire a young prospect in Connor Carrick.
At the time, Carrick already had 133 games under his belt at the AHL level, scoring 64 points. This most likely caught the eye of Toronto Marlies GM and Leafs Assistant GM Kyle Dubas, who probably wanted the young defenceman included in the deal much like how he wanted Kasperi Kapanen from Pittsburgh.
Since his arrival in Toronto, Carrick has brought a different element to the Leafs blueline. Do not let his 5’10 190-pound frame fool you, he is not afraid to play physical and has proven to be a valuable commodity, especially in the playoffs with the Marlies.
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With the team down 4-1 in game three against the Bridgeport Sound Tigers, Carrick scored three goals and two assists to help the Marlies seal a first round victory. In seven games of the Calder Cup Playoffs he has four goals and eight assists for 12 points, which leads the league.
There is no doubt the 22-year old has been the most impressive Marlies player in the playoffs and it presents an intriguing option for the Leafs next season, as they do not have many right-handed shot defensemen. While this is not a major issue, having a player with Carrick’s skill as a right-handed shot is a major bonus.
The only other defenseman the Leafs have who shoots right-handed is Frankie Corrado. However, he was the only one they had after trading Roman Polak.
Again, while the Leafs are probably not overly concerned with how many right-handed shot defenceman they have, the recently signed Nikita Zaitsev also fits this criteria. Another is Andrew Nielsen, who received a lot of attention for his play in the WHL, so at least there are options on the right side of the depth chart moving forward.
In terms of depth, Morgan Rielly and Jake Gardiner are expected to occupy the top two spots on the left side. Depending on what happens with Matt Hunwick, the Leafs could give Zaitsev and Carrick a chance to play in the top four or at least on the opening roster.
Next: Marlies face toughest test yet, against the Albany Devils
Whether this means Zaitsev plays with Gardiner as the fourth defenceman and Carrick on the right side of the bottom pairing, the Leafs should have a stronger blue line next season. For Carrick, his focus for now will be on the Marlies playoff run, which is going through a tough stretch against the Albany Devils, with him and the other young players needing to step up and get them into the next round.