In case you were sleeping, the Washington Capitals made a big move overnight. The Washington Capitals traded veteran defenseman and franchise veteran John Carlson to the Anaheim Ducks.
In exchange, the Capitals received a conditional first-round pick in the 2026 or 2027 NHL draft. The team also received a 2027 third-round pick.
Karlsson, 36, spent all 17 seasons of his NHL career with the Capitals. He is the franchise’s all-time leader in games played (1,143), goals (166), assists (605), and points (771) among defensemen.
This season, Karlsson recorded 46 points (10 goals, 36 assists) in 55 games with the Capitals. The Natick, Massachusetts native will be an unrestricted free agent after this season.
Most notably, Karlsson helped lead the Capitals to their first Stanley Cup title in 2018. He led all defensemen in the playoffs with 20 points (5 goals, 15 assists) in 24 games played.
Karlsson was originally selected by the Capitals in the first round (27th overall) in the 2008 NHL Draft.
“Since joining our organization 17 years ago, John Carlson has exemplified what it means to be a Washington Capitals every day,” said general manager Chris Patrick. “John’s determination, leadership, tenacity and skill helped our franchise reach new heights and established him as a cornerstone and one of the greatest players in Capitals history.”
Karlsson is now the second major move made by the Capitals ahead of Friday’s NHL trade deadline. The team already sent Nick Dowd to Vegas on Thursday in exchange for picks and goaltending prospect Jesper Wickman.
This news from Carlson could also be a signal for 40-year-old Alex Ovechkin to retire after the 2025-26 season. As you can tell, the Capitals are focusing on developing young players.
The Capitals have a total of 22 picks in the next three drafts, including four first-round selections and nine picks in the first three rounds.
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