Selected by the Capitals in the first round (No. 27) of the 2008 NHL Draft, Carlson is Washington's all-time leader among defensemen in goals (166), assists (605), points (771), power-play points (273) and games played (1,143).
He also has 78 points (21 goals, 57 assists) in 137 Stanley Cup Playoff games, including 20 points (five goals, 15 assists) in 24 games in 2018, when he helped the Capitals win the Cup for the first time in their history.
“Since joining our organization 17 years ago, John Carlson has exemplified what it means to be a Washington Capital every day,” Washington general manager Chris Patrick said. “John’s determination, leadership, persistence and skill helped our franchise reach new heights and cemented him as a cornerstone and one of the greatest players in Capitals history. His contributions to our organization and the Washington, D.C., community both on and off the ice have been immeasurable. We are incredibly grateful for everything John has given to our team and wish him and his family nothing but the best moving forward with Anaheim.”
The Ducks (34-24-3) are second in the Pacific Division, one point behind the Vegas Golden Knights. They are attempting to qualify for the playoffs for the first time since the 2017-18 season.
“John Carlson brings leadership, character, a high hockey IQ and a presence to our lineup,” Anaheim general manager Pat Verbeek said. “We are very excited to add a Stanley Cup winner to complement our group and make a big push down the stretch.”
The Capitals (31-25-7) are fifth in the Metropolitan Division, four points behind the Boston Bruins for the second wild card into the playoffs from the Eastern Conference. They traded forward Nic Dowd to the Golden Knights on Thursday for goalie prospect Jesper Vikman, a second-round pick in the 2029 NHL Draft and a third-round pick in the 2027 NHL Draft.
