Tuesday, January 26, 2010

Dan Carcillo: A Love Story

"Dan Carcillo is a good player who happens to be tough and aggressive. We think he can play in our top nine. The fans are going to love him."

When the trade for Dan Carcillo was made last season there weren't many fans who agreed with with Paul Holmgren's statement. He traded fan-favorite Scottie Upshall and second round pick in 2011 for Carcillo, and it upset a lot of fans. Even during the 2008-2009 season, the fan's sentiment did not change much on Carcillo. He was taking "stupid" penalties and not producing offensively (no goals, 4 assists, and a -2 in 20 games). But things have changed this season.

In 2010, Carcillo is playing like the player Paul Holmgren brought him here to be. He's not taking stupid penalties nor taking penalties at the wrong time. He's being a pest, an agitator, a pain in the ass. He is doing his job well and getting under the skin of the opposing team. Carcillo is the ultimate fighter as well. As opposed to Riley Cote who will fight anyone at anytime but, more often then not, get his butt pummeled in the process, Carcillo fights the right guys at the right times and usually comes out with blood on his knuckles, not on his face. I really like the way Dan has played the game this season. He plays with a high level of intensity and has shown bit of a scoring touch as well.

Maybe it's the Flyers of the mid-70s tributary mustache he's sporting, maybe it's his no holds barred approach to interviews (see: "I was pretty much licking my chops" when asked about getting to fight NY Ranger Marian Gaborik), who knows? Carcillo has certainly upped his game this season and Flyers fans can only hope it continues and takes them into the playoffs.

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