If we’ve learned anything from Dan Carcillo’s days in Philadelphia it’s that he’s not afraid to speak his mind nor is he afraid to do whatever he feels like on the ice as well. From fighting during the Winter Classic in 2010 with Shawn Thornton at Fenway Park, to getting hushed down by Maxime Talbot during a playoff game that saw Talbot beat him in a fight, Carcillo isn’t one to avoid the spotlight.
When the Chicago Blackhawks signed Carcillo this summer, it seemed like a peculiar move as Carcillo has a bit of a bad reputation following him around. After all, he’s going to have to sit out the first two games of the season thanks to a suspension for berating officials during the playoffs and his maniacal play on the ice often leads to bad penalties.
Carcillo told the media in Chicago today that he’s excited for a new start in Chicago and is looking forward to getting a piece of everyone in Vancouver’s lineup... Both past and present as CSNChicago.com’s Tracey Myers shares.“A few guys there play a little outside of their shoes,” said Carcillo, who threw out Max Lapierre as well as former Canucks Raffi Torres (now in Phoenix) and Tanner Glass(Winnipeg). “And I think I can keep most of these guys in check when we play them this year.”
The Chicago Blackhawks forward said Monday’s press conference was the first of his career, but he certainly knew how to win over the new crowd. In two months his focus is going to be back to what he knows best: irritating everyone not wearing the same sweater he is.
For taking aim on the Canucks, Carcillo was able to get one out of three correct so that’s pretty good for a baseball batting average, but it’s the fire behind his words that he’s hoping will impress the fans in Chicago the most. While some Hawks fans might not be excited to have Carcillo on board, the second he tries punching out a member of the Canucks or Red Wings, the fans at United Center will be chanting his name.
Hey, that’s how it worked in Philadelphia for Carcillo in the first place and he’s more than aware of that.
Undisciplined play will earn him a spot in the press box as coach Joel Quenneville won’t stand for it. Bad penalties killed Chicago last season as their penalty kill was one of the worst in the league, finishing 25th out of 30 teams in the NHL. If the Hawks kill doesn’t improve and Carcillo’s antics put Chicago in a hole, his welcome will be all but worn out fast. Being in the same locker room with the guys that beat his 2010 Flyers team for the Stanley Cup should be enough to help show the example he needs to follow.
One thing Carcillo does add is toughness and that’s something the Blackhawks were in the hunt for this summer. How he handles toeing the line between being effective and being a potential problem for his team will be worth watching this season.