There was a time when Matt Carle was the kind of defenceman who could command a big, multiyear contract in free agency. This summer, though, the 31-year-old was perhaps fortunate to get a cheap, one-year contract from the Nashville Predators.
It’s a deal that could be a much-needed life preserver for his NHL career. Alternately, it could be his final contract at hockey’s highest level.
The path that Carle took to reach this point in his career is instructive, both from the perspective of what he might do for the Predators and also because his development, emergence and decline are not unique to him.
Carle was originally selected in the second round by the San Jose Sharks in 2003, a year famous as one of the richest drafts in NHL history. He would spend the next three seasons with the University of Denver. When he finally turned pro at the end of the 2005-06 season, he was overripe, having dominated college hockey to such a degree that the NCAA gave him the Hobey Baker Award as the best player at that level.
Carle rewarded San Jose as a player capable of making an impact imm ...
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Article written by Jonathan Willis
Predators Give Matt Carle a Chance to Save His NHL Career
August 10th, 2016 by Jonathan Willis Leave a reply »
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