In their inaugural season, the Vegas Golden Knights surpassed all expectations that fans and experts had of them. From going to the Stanley Cup Finals to having players like William Karlsson having a break-out year. The chances of them doing this again next year are slim but a name Vegas fans should remember is Daniel Carr. Carr is a 26-year-old forward who hasn’t had his chance to shine.
Why Daniel Carr Never Got his Chance in Montreal
Carr spent the first three years of his career with the Montreal Canadiens but never enough playing time. In those three years, he played in 94 games registering 14 goals and 20 assists in that time when he was in Montreal. Most of his time through was spent at the AHL level where he tended to thrive. Carr registered double-digit goal totals in three out of the four years in the AHL.
Montreal has had so many talented wingers that the only time Carr got a chance to play was when players got injured. If you look at the forwards Montreal has had they have been established names like Jonathan Drouin, Max Pacioretty, Alex Galchenyuk, Paul Byron, and Brendan Gallagher. They also had a number of prospects who they gave chances to ahead of Carr, such as Charles Hudon and Nikita Scherbak. When you look at why Carr didn’t fit in one of the key reasons was size. Montreal has been looking to get bigger on the offensive side of the game. Carr is listed at a generous 6″0, 193lbs, and contributed just 74 hits in 94 games; Nicholas Deslauriers was credited with 238 in 58 games last season alone.
Carr saw time last year on the top line in Montreal as well as time on the power-play. If you look at Carr’s stats in his career he is averaging 1.09 primary points per 60 minutes (p/60) and 1.60 p/60 in all situations.
He averages just 11:28 time on ice throughout his career, but hit a career-high 12:08 last season.
Why Vegas Is a Perfect Fit for Daniel Carr
Vegas was known last year for bringing in unwanted players who excelled with the Golden Knights. With the chances of Carr possibly having the chance to play a full season in the NHL, he will finally be able to put up more impactful numbers.
One of the biggest players last year for the Knights was William Karlsson, who led the team in all scoring categories. Karlsson had 41 of his 61 career goals last season. He never scored more than 9 goals in a season before last year. The Golden Knights played a fast pace game last year outskating teams and using speed to win games.
Even though Carr only signed a one-year expect him to be in Vegas longer than a year. A one-year deal gives Carr a chance to show Vegas that he should be a part of their long-term plan and fits with their high-energy style.
In his first year, expect Carr to play on the bottom six with seeing time here and there on the second line. Don’t be surprised if Carr ends up on the second power-play unit as well for the Golden Knights.
Conclusion
The reason Carr will improve is that he will see more consistent ice-time in Vegas, and he could be a vital part of the power-play.
Carr will also benefit by not being overshadowed in Vegas like he was in Montreal. A lot of attention was put on the bigger stars in Montreal like Pacioretty and Drouin.
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