In the world of sports, sometimes there is a stunning trade that sends the face of the franchise packing to a new location. The NHL Trade Deadline has provided one this year as the Washington Capitals have traded John Carlson to the Anaheim Ducks.
After trading away Nic Dowd earlier in the day, the locker room is reacting to the loss of two veteran presences, according to David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period.
“Safe to say (Capitals) players are at a complete loss today after seeing both Dowd & Carlson traded. Speaking to some members of the team, ‘shock' is the consensus inside that room,” Pagnotta posted on X, formerly Twitter.
Dowd had been with the Capitals since the 2018-19 season, playing 506 games for the franchise. Meanwhile, Carlson was the 27th overall selection of the 2008 NHL Draft by the Caps and broke into the league with the team in 2009-10. The 36-year-old played 17 seasons and 1,143 games with the franchise, scoring 166 goals and adding 605 assists. He was also a major part of the 2018 Stanley Cup-winning team.
Adding to the shock for everyone was the timing of the trade. The move was so late that Carlson did not find out until well after it was completed, according to hockey insider Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic.
“The trade happened so late that John Carlson was asleep and didn’t find out until this morning,” LeBrun posted on X, formerly Twitter.
Carlson had a 10-team no-trade list on his contract, which allowed the front office to freely trade their longtime player without needing his approval, as long as it was to a team not on the list. Meanwhile, the blueliner is in the final year of an eight-year contract extension he signed before the 2018 season.
There is no contract extension in place for Carlson, and currently, there is not one in the works, according to hockey insider Frank Seravalli.
Washington may not be done at the trade deadline, as they reshape the future of their franchise in what could be Alex Ovechkin's last year.
For all of the NHL Trade Deadline reporting ahead of the Friday 3 p.m. ET deadline, stick with ClutchPoints as stories break and develop.
