In a major move, Anaheim acquired veteran blueliner John Carlson from Washington on Thursday night, March 5, 2026.
The 36-year-old John Carlson, a skilled defenseman whose time with Washington is coming to an end after the only NHL team he ever played for traded him to the Ducks.
Carlson played a key role in the Capitals’ Stanley Cup triumph in 2018 and is a former Norris Trophy runner-up for the NHL’s top defenseman and is expected to add years of playoff experience to a young Ducks team that is on track to make the playoffs for the first time since 2017.
Parting ways with Carlson means Washington has just two players left on the roster from their 2018 Stanley Cup win: captain Alex Ovechkin and winger Tom Wilson.
John Carlson is set to become a free agent this season, he has recorded 10 goals and 46 points in 55 games with Washington this season.
Veteran defenseman Carlson led all Capitals skaters in ice time, averaging more than 23 minutes per game. match.
Carlson is in the final months of his eight-year contract worth $8 million annually.
The Anaheim Ducks (34-24-3) had spent recent years adding veterans to guide a rising generation led by Leo Carlson, Lukas Dostal, Jackson LaCombe and Mason McTavish, among others.
The strategy has paid off, and the Ducks are currently just one point behind Vegas in the race to win the Pacific Division title and a playoff comeback for the first time since the 2017-18 season.
