The Ducks bolstered their blueline Thursday night in anticipation of ending their long playoff drought, acquiring veteran defenseman John Carlson in a trade with the Washington Capitals.
In exchange for Carlson, the Ducks will send a conditional first-round pick (2026 or 2027 draft) and a third-round pick (2027) to Washington.
Carlson, who played an integral part of the Capitals’ 2018 Stanley Cup win and is a former Norris Trophy runner-up for the NHL’s top defenseman, should bring a veteran presence to a young Ducks team that is on pace to make the playoffs for the first time since 2017.
“John Carlson brings leadership, character, a high hockey IQ and a presence to our lineup,” Ducks general manager Pat Verbeek said in a statement. “We are very excited to add a Stanley Cup winner to complement our group and make a big push down the stretch.”
Carlson, who is scheduled to become a free agent this offseason, has 10 goals and 46 points in 55 games with the Capitals the season. In 1,143 career games with the Capitals, he has 771 points (166 goals, 605 assists) — ranking him 24th all-time among NHL defensemen. A two-time All-Star, Carlson played for the U.S. at the 2014 Sochi Olympic Games and in the 2016 World Cup of Hockey. He also scored the winning goal for the U.S. in the 2010 World Junior Championship.
The Ducks are second in the Pacific Division and have won 13 of their last 16 games. They face the Montreal Canadiens on Friday and the St. Louis Blues on Sunday before embarking on a four-game Canadian road trip.
The Carlson deal was made roughly 14 hours before Friday’s NHL trade deadline at noon PST.
This is a developing story. The Times will have more on Carlson soon.
