Trade: The Capitals traded to the Ducks
The American defenseman has a total of 46 points in 55 games, 10 goals and 36 assists.
By acquiring Carlson, who is in the last year of his contract, Joel Quenneville's team brings toughness and playoff experience, and it's not like the 6.3-foot defenseman is a third-pair player. The young Ducks team will eventually need a player like him in the playoffs. His $8M annual salary could actually be lower than you might think. Since the Ducks do not have any players on the long-term injured list according to the sitePuck Pedia, there are only 42 days left to pay on his contract for the Ducks. So if we do the math:
$8M * (42/192) = $1.75M and if the Caps had retained 50% of his salary (which is not the case), this price would have dropped: $1.75M / 2 = $0.875M, we still go from $8M to $1.75M.
However, there is a bigBUT, if Carlson plays even one playoff game with his new team, the Ducks will have to pay his entire annual salary ($8M) and let me tell you that unless there is an injury, the 36-year-old defenseman will play in the NHL's spring tournament. According to Puck Pedia, the California team has $9,718,291 available on the salary cap, and with the American's contract, there will be $1,718,291 left.
In return, the Caps, who seem to have thrown in the towel on the idea of making the playoffs, receive a 3rd round pick in 2027 as I mentioned earlier, as well as a conditional 1st round pick in 2026. The condition for the latter is that if Anaheim makes the playoffs, the Ducks will send their 1st round pick in 2026 to the Caps, but if not, the Ducks will keep their 2026 1st round pick and will be obligated to give up the 2027 pick that still belongs to them. So the Capitals secure a 1st round pick, but in what year? Knowing that the Ducks are currently in the playoffs and 4 points away from the last spot to qualify for the playoffs.
In conclusion, it’s a good addition for the California team that has displaced John Carlson from his home, who has been there since 2008, where he won the Stanley Cup in 2018. I should note that Carlson is currently injured, but he returned to practice yesterday with his former team; I don’t think he will be in uniform against the Canadiens tonight, but he will be back soon, for example.