What? Play him as a forward!?

Big Ev wrote:

CockRoche wrote:

SpezDispenser wrote:

CockRoche wrote:
So let's stop his growth as a premier defenceman and start the project of converting him to a forward.

If it doesn't work, oh well, we've only lost a year of his development as a defenceman and added some bad habits to his original body of work.

We're being hypothetical here. Obviously, Karlsson's a big time D-man of the future here in Ottawa. In this fantasy, there would have to be an indicator to the coaching staff that he could utilize his smarts on ice to be a shifty, fast winger - a la Giroux I would guess. It wouldn't just happen, they would have to see things that they thought would immediately translate into a wing position.

It was just a musing anyway. Probably because we were coasting into Philly and I have a man-crush on little Giroux - who reminds me of Karlsson at forward.

No, you are being silly; and I am trying to put a stop to it.

Dude, lighten up a little. He's just asking this for fun.

It's a question that gets asked a lot with smaller, fast, offensive-defensemen. Some people have been saying Mike Green should be a forward for years.

Obviously I think he would be better at defense, as he likes to take the puck all the way from behind the net and rush with it, but if we were in an emergency situation it wouldn't hurt to try him out at forward. Mark Streit went from defense to forward and vice versa all the time when he was with the Habs.

SpezDispenser wrote:

CockRoche wrote:
No, you are being silly; and I am trying to put a stop to it.

As Big Ev said, there's more than a few guys who have made very successful transitions from D to F, or play both positions. Mark Streit is a guy that immediately came to mind as someone who adapts well to either, but has become a very solid, point producing D-man. Dustin Byfuglien is another young guy who comes to mind, as does Brent Burns.

This is basically for conversation only as the Sens wouldn't dream of it I'm sure, but we now understand that you oppose the idea (as most do it seems), I think that was clear. Thanks for the input!

SpezDispenser wrote:Yeah, it was well said.

I understand where people in this thread are coming from for sure. We have a wonderful, puck-rushing D-man, why compromise that in any way.

CockRoche wrote:
His defence isn't to shabby either don't forget.

SpezDispenser wrote:

CockRoche wrote:
His defence isn't to shabby either don't forget.

Yeah, it's coming along.

CockRoche wrote:
70 something games into his NHL career, that is all we can ask. Remarkable if you ask me.

There has to be a prolonged slump coming sooner or later and I hope he doesn't get the backlash he got at the start of this season when it happens. I fear the worst though from Sens media and fans.

SpezDispenser wrote:

CockRoche wrote:
No, you are being silly; and I am trying to put a stop to it.

As Big Ev said, there's more than a few guys who have made very successful transitions from D to F, or play both positions. Mark Streit is a guy that immediately came to mind as someone who adapts well to either, but has become a very solid, point producing D-man. Dustin Byfuglien is another young guy who comes to mind, as does Brent Burns.

This is basically for conversation only as the Sens wouldn't dream of it I'm sure, but we now understand that you oppose the idea (as most do it seems), I think that was clear. Thanks for the input!

Big Ev wrote:It's a question that gets asked a lot with smaller, fast, offensive-defensemen. Some people have been saying Mike Green should be a forward for years.