The Washington Capitals aren’t quite the powerhouse they were a season ago. After a strong 2024-25 campaign, this year’s version of the team has been more inconsistent - competitive, but not dominant.
With the playoff race heating up and the margin for error shrinking, Washington is at a crossroads. The front office, led by GM Chris Patrick, is weighing not only short-term upgrades but also long-term roster decisions.
And at the heart of that conversation? Veteran defenseman John Carlson.
Carlson’s future with the franchise is very much in play. He’s in the final year of the eight-year deal he signed before the 2018-19 season, and Patrick confirmed that discussions with Carlson and his agent are ongoing.
“Yeah, we’ve talked, and I’ve talked with his agent as well,” Patrick said during a recent media session. “So, we’ll continue to have conversations here.”
This isn’t just any player we’re talking about. Carlson has been a cornerstone of the Capitals' blue line for over a decade.
Drafted 27th overall back in 2008, he made his NHL debut during the 2009-10 season after a stint in the AHL. Since then, he’s become one of the most productive and reliable defensemen in franchise history.
The numbers tell the story. Carlson has played 1,134 games in a Capitals sweater - second-most in team history.
He’s racked up 165 goals and 598 assists, placing him third all-time in assists and fifth in points for the franchise. His plus/minus rating is also second-best in team history.
That’s not just longevity - that’s impact.
And even as he enters the back half of his career, Carlson is showing he’s still got plenty left in the tank. After a few seasons where his goal totals dipped slightly, he’s bounced back in a big way this year.
Through 46 games, he’s already scored nine goals - putting him on pace to hit the 15-goal mark he regularly reached in his prime. He’s also dished out 29 assists, which leads the team.
Only Alex Ovechkin and Tom Wilson have more points than Carlson this season.
That resurgence is coming at a critical time for both player and franchise. The Capitals are 24-20-6, tied for fourth in the Metropolitan Division and sitting three points out of a playoff spot.
But momentum hasn’t been on their side lately - they’ve dropped three straight. If this group wants to give Ovechkin one more shot at the Cup, they’ll need to find another gear down the stretch.
Carlson’s leadership and production could be vital in that push. With T.J.
Oshie now retired and Nicklas Backstrom continuing his career overseas in Sweden, Carlson is one of the last remaining links to the Capitals’ 2018 Stanley Cup-winning squad. If this ends up being Ovechkin’s final season - and no new deal is reached with Carlson - only Wilson and Nic Dowd would remain from that championship roster.
So, the stakes are high. This isn’t just a team trying to claw its way into the playoffs.
It’s a franchise trying to balance the end of an era with the need to stay competitive in the years to come. The next few weeks could determine not just how this season ends, but what the future looks like in D.C.
The next opportunity to right the ship comes Wednesday, when the Caps head to Vancouver to face a struggling Canucks team. It’s a chance to stop the skid, get back in the playoff mix, and maybe - just maybe - start writing one more chapter in the story of this core. And if John Carlson has anything to say about it, he’s not done adding to his legacy just yet.