Sam Carrick is no stranger to playing in high pressure situations. Coming from the Edmonton Oilers where he was teammates with Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, the spotlight was always on his team. Now he enters a situation with the New York Rangers where he sees a lot of similarities. “It’s very similar,” Carrick said. “Everyone really cares about each other. There are some big personalities and I think that’s what you want. It makes it fun, it makes it fun to come to the rink everyday. You have guys that bring a little jam. Obviously we got a lot of high end skill guys. It’s fun to watch them and see what they do and it’s fun to learn from them.” On a team filled with flashy names including Artemi Panarin, Igor Shesterkin and Adam Fox, Carrick brings a different element to the squad. His work ethic is one of a kind and his scrappy and hard-nosed mentality is exactly what the Rangers could use especially in the playoffs. “I can bring energy every night, I can be physical when I need to and stand up for teammates,” Carrick said. “I think that in today’s game, the fourth line needs to be able to play and needs to be a threat offensively as well. That’s what I’m trying to bring here.” Through the start of training camp, Carrick has thrived. His effort that brings everyday is clearly noticeable and he’s really shown that he can be effective offensively. Rangers coach Peter Laviolette has loved what Carrick has brought in terms of his tenacity and he’s been impressed with his play thus far. “I mean he is a competitor,” Laviolette said. “I think he looks really good out there, but he is also a guy who plays with an edge and plays with some snarl, has some grit to his game that may not show all the time at practice. When he gets into the game, that will probably be more evident.” To Carrick’s advantage, he was just part of an Oilers team that made it all the way to the Stanley Cup Final. It’s an experience that not many get to have, but more importantly there are learning lessons that come with it, which he can take in with New York. Sean Avery Illustrates Rangers Perfect Shift “I think you learn about the roller coaster,” Carrick said. “Obviously the season is one thing, every season is a bit of a roller coaster. Playoffs are just revamped to a whole nother level. Just because you lose one game, doesn't mean the whole playoff run is over. You gotta focus on every game for what it is and ride the roller coaster.” The Rangers signed the 32-year-old to a three-year, $3 million contract, so be prepared to see a lot of Carrick over the next few seasons.
