The Washington Capitals and Anaheim Ducks pulled off a stunning trade in the wee hours of Friday morning, as the Capitals sent franchise legend John Carlson to Anaheim.
The trade sees Carlson head to the Ducks, and the Capitals receiving a conditional 2026 or 2027 first-round pick, and a third-round pick in 2027.
John Carlson is being traded to Anaheim
— Elliotte Friedman (@FriedgeHNIC) March 6, 2026
NEWS | The Washington Capitals have acquired a conditional first-round pick in either the 2026 NHL Draft or the 2027 NHL Draft and a third-round pick in the 2027 NHL Draft from the Anaheim Ducks for defenseman John Carlson. #ALLCAPS | @Shift4
— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) March 6, 2026
The trade happened so late that John Carlson was asleep and didn’t find out until this morning. Tough trade for the Caps obviously, but their play since the break forced them to be realistic (Dowd trade as well). Having said that, they tried on Connor Garland and will try to add…
— Pierre LeBrun (@PierreVLeBrun) March 6, 2026
The Ducks added one of the best right-handed defenceman in the game, and while Carlson may have lost a step over the past couple of seasons, he brings a boatload of intangibles to a young Ducks dressing room. Ducks GM Pat Verbeek can’t wait to see Carlson’s leadership shine, and loves the character Carlson will bring to his club. “We are very excited to add a Stanley Cup winner to complement our group and make a big push down the stretch,” Verbeek added.
Carlson has recorded 10 goals and 46 points in 55 games this season in Washington, appearing in 55 games. The 36-year-old vet joins a Ducks team currently second in the Pacific Division with a 34-24-3 record. Carlson is owed $8 million AAV this season, the final year of his contract.
Ducks went big, will Verbeek land another big fish up front? We’ll have to wait and see how Friday plays out in southern California.
Photo credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images