He went from an incredible high as the sixth overall pick as an 18-year-old to Tampa in 2010 to the ultimate low of being dropped by the Boston Bruins.

Two failed attempts with lightning, with Boston, and now his career is hanging by a thread.

And then he signs in D.C. for a minimum deal, a one-year deal,

and ends up with his name on the Stanley Cup, and a big payday. He joins the Florida Panthers this past offseason.

I'm Rob Carlin. This is the Capitals Talk podcast. Today we talk with Brett Connolly. The podcast starts right now. Puck in front, Connolly,

what a chance! They score! They score! The puck on a rebound for Lars Eller! And Washington

leads it. Four three with seven-thirty-seven to go. What's up, Caps fans? It is time for another edition of the Capitol's Talk podcast.

And today I was really excited to be joined by Brett Connolly.

You will hear as I talk with Brett a couple of times I reference how great his story is and was.

And you think back to the first year he was here with the caps.

And we've all joked, he looks so much older than he actually is.

It's just, you know, some guys look that way.

And, you know, he's got, always got a five o'clock shadow.

The hair is starting to thin.

And he kind of carries himself older than he actually is. And midway through that first season, you're like, well, this dude is pretty good. Like, why didn't this work in Tampa? Why didn't this work in Boston? But it was working here. And look, even as you think back on it, there were highs and there were lows.

He was, I wouldn't say often, I'd have to go back and look, but there were times where he was a healthy scratch in that first year under Barry Trots.

His game is more of a, he's a goal scorer.

That's what he does.

That's why he's earned a big payday now from Florida.

He's a goal scorer. He plays a 200-foot game because they all have to, but he's known as a goal score. He's an offensive guy. So there were times, I think, that hard lessons still had to be learned. His game was still evolving. It, you know, it still is evolving, but it's certainly now more complete than it ever was. And, you know, those early times, he's streaky.

He'd go through. It, you know, it still is evolving, but it's certainly now more complete than it ever was.

And, you know, those early times, he's streaky.

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