Caruso rounding into top form
He is close — very close, he says — to being at full strength.
Just a summer removed from shoulder surgery, 1995 birth-year defenceman Michael Caruso returned to the lineup of the Soo Eagles of the North American Hockey League in mid-October, several weeks ahead of schedule.
He said the shoulder feels good and strong, although he has noted that his range of motion is not quite where it was.
Still, the 6-foot, 190 pound defender said he is shooting the puck with the same force that he was before the injury and subsequent surgery.
“I feel good, really good,” said Caruso, who has now played seven games for the Eagles thus far this 2014-2015 and is taking a regular shift along with power play and penalty kill duty.
Eagles coach-general manager Bruno Bragagnolo said Caruso “looks every bit as good as he did before the surgery, probably even better as he continues to develop and improve his overall game.”
Both Bragagnolo and Caruso say the rugged defenceman is taking a smarter approach to the way he plays.
“He had a tendency of trying to do too much and play recklessly,” offered Bragagnolo. “It’s like he was being too aggressive for his own good.”
Caruso agrees with his coach.
“I think by being a bit too reckless out there is what caused me to hurt my shoulder in the first place,” noted Caruso. “Bruno told me to still play my game by being tough and aggressive but to play with more control.”
Caruso, a former Ontario Hockey League draft pick of the Peterborough Petes, has future aspirations of playing at the Division 1, National Collegiate Athletic Association level.
“There is no question in my mind that he is a D1 player,” Bragagnolo said of Caruso. “No question at all. None.”
PHOTO: Soo Eagles defenceman Michael Caruso. (Photo by EUPNews.com.)
Big, strong, tough, good skater … … and can fire the puck. What are you waiting for Coach Whitten ? ? Mike Carusso should be a Laker imho.
Micheal Caruso is a good player and an even better kid in my opinion. I would love to see him play for the L.S.S.U. Lakers. He does everything well and I hope that the Lakers Coach can see this.
What’s up with Andrew Barbeau?
Schooling issues, I am told.