grab defenseman John Carlson<\/a> from the Washington Capitals.<\/p>\nThink about it: The Ducks, with a need to improve their defense corps as they aim for the Pacific Division title, went out and got a three-time top-five Norris Trophy finisher and one of the finest blueliners of this era. The best defenseman in Capitals\u2019 history not named Rod Langway. And one who can still contribute to winning and, in Carlson\u2019s words, has a lot left in the tank.<\/p>\n
A slew of right-shot defensemen changed teams ahead of the trade deadline, and the Ducks traded for arguably the best one available.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere\u2019s a lot of excitement,\u201d Ducks winger Ross Johnston said in the middle of a lively Anaheim dressing room Friday at Honda Center. \u201cThere\u2019s been a lot of doomy trade deadline days around here, and today\u2019s not one of them. You add a legend in John Carlson whose resume speaks for (itself).<\/p>\n
Johnston added, \u201cIt obviously shows the commitment the organization has in us. That comes with a heavy responsibility that we\u2019re all looking forward to now.\u201d<\/p>\n
It\u2019s too early to call Carlson the best deadline addition in franchise history because there are still six weeks left in the regular season and a postseason berth to clinch before the Ducks hope to play their first Game 1 in eight years. But it\u2019s safe to call Carlson the biggest addition. And after a 6-5 shootout win Friday night over the Montreal Canadiens, which put Anaheim one point ahead of the Vegas Golden Knights for first place in the Pacific Division, it\u2019s tantalizing to imagine what this team can be with him.<\/p>\n
Carlson, who was in his seventeenth season with Washington before the trade, hoped to be a one-franchise player throughout his career. Now, the 36-year-old is looking to embrace a new chapter.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s tough to say after the fact, but for sure, if you asked me a couple of days ago, I would say that was always a goal of mine,\u201d Carlson said Friday before flying to Southern California. \u201cThat was always what I had anticipated or strived to be \u2014 that person in the community and on the ice \u2014 and it didn\u2019t work out like that. Yeah, I move on, and I\u2019m excited for this opportunity.<\/p>\n
\u201cExcited to get out of my comfort zone, too, and get to a new organization. Meet a lot of new faces. Mesh with a lot of new players. I think that\u2019s a challenge that\u2019s very appealing to me.\u201d<\/p>\n
When the Ducks take the ice Sunday against the St. Louis Blues, Carlson will play his first game in a different jersey since making his debut with Washington in 2009. He owns nearly every notable record for a defenseman in Capitals history: goals (166), assists (605), points (771) and games (1,143). And with his crucial role in Washington\u2019s 2018 Stanley Cup victory, Carlson\u2019s No. 74 should one day hang in Capital One Arena.<\/p>\n
He will now wear that No. 74 jersey in Anaheim, after rookie Ian Moore quickly relinquished it and changed to No. 3. As Carlson\u2019s longtime teammates Alex Ovechkin and Tom Wilson lamented the loss of their beloved blueliner Friday, Carlson started to envision playing for the up-and-coming Ducks. The prospect of joining a young core led by Leo Carlsson, Cutter Gauthier, Jackson LaCombe, Mason McTavish and impressive rookie Beckett Sennecke can ease the shock of the sudden change in scenery.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s a very interesting and cool kind of angle from this whole thing,\u201d Carlson said. \u201cI think I add a lot of valuables in my play and what I can do out there, but also what I can inject and impart on them mentally or through talking and chatting. There\u2019s so much talent there. There\u2019s so much fun to be had that it\u2019s an exciting proposition.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think these guys, especially now with how skilled they are \u2014 they\u2019re top, top, elite players that I\u2019m coming to play with. I\u2019m going to be learning from them, just like I hope that they\u2019ll be learning from me.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Ducks surrendered a conditional first-round pick in the trade that will go to Washington in 2026 or 2027. Per the terms of the deal, if Anaheim misses the playoffs this season, the Ducks can keep either the \u201926 or \u201927 pick, and the Capitals will get the other one. If the Ducks make the postseason, which appears likely, then they must hand over the 2026 pick. Anaheim also sent a 2027 third-round pick to the Capitals.<\/p>\n
Some questioned the rationale behind giving up a first-round pick when the Ducks have only started to emerge from their rebuilding period, especially with Carlson in the final season of an eight-year, $80 million contract. That\u2019s a hefty price for what could turn out to be a rental if Carlson enters free agency after the season and signs with another team.<\/p>\n
Although Ducks general manager Pat Verbeek isn\u2019t expected to press Carlson and his representation on an extension, Verbeek has expressed interest in keeping Carlson beyond this season. It\u2019s also rare that a defenseman as accomplished as Carlson is available at the deadline. The kind of veteran who\u2019s averaging nearly 23 minutes and has 10 goals and 36 assists in 55 games this season, even at this stage of his career.<\/p>\n
\u201cFirst of all, you look at the player that you\u2019re putting into the group,\u201d Verbeek said. \u201cIt\u2019s a big add. A big add. He\u2019s a heck of a hockey player. They don\u2019t come along often. What we\u2019ve been doing the last three years with adding assets, \u2026 I thought this was a time where we could \u2014 I looked at giving this group another extra push. Another little aid in helping us make this push to where we want to go.<\/p>\n
\u201cUltimately, getting in the playoffs and have a nice run \u2014 I looked at it like it\u2019s worth it. It\u2019s worth it to give this group experience. Give them a chance to make the playoffs and do well in the playoffs.\u201d<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, the prospect of improving the defense \u2014 a need that was apparent again Friday, despite the thrilling win \u2014 by adding a player as good as Carlson had players in the Ducks\u2019 dressing room sounding as if they could hardly believe their good fortune.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s going to be a huge addition for us,\u201d said Chris Kreider, who had the tying goal late in regulation along with three assists. \u201cThe pedigree that he has. The experience that he has. Can definitely bring a lot to the room. A lot to our group on the ice as well. We\u2019re excited to get him in the fold.\u201d<\/p>\n
Added defenseman Jacob Trouba: \u201cI guess hockey\u2019s always evolving and changing on how (the) deadline\u2019s going. I don\u2019t know. Found a way to get him. He\u2019s a big piece. Pretty much every team in the NHL would probably like to have him on the back end. We\u2019re excited to add him. Excited to move forward with him.\u201d<\/p>\n
It is the first time in years that the Ducks have been buyers at the deadline, and they made a headline-grabbing purchase aimed at accomplishing more than just reaching the playoffs.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere\u2019s a lot of great teams in the West right now, and anytime you go out and give what we give for a player like that, I think it shows the faith that we can compete,\u201d Johnston said. \u201cNot just make it there \u2014 make a splash when we get there. We all watch the standings. We know what\u2019s going around. We\u2019ve played every team in the league now, and we got a good feel where we\u2019re at and what the potential is for this group.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe jolt\u2019s there, and the pieces are there, and now it\u2019s up to us to do it.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"ANAHEIM, Calif. \u2014 Back in the day \u2014 meaning 23 years ago \u2014 the then-Mighty Ducks of Anaheim…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":209332,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[36],"tags":[163,824,165,164,8319],"class_list":["post-209331","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-anaheim","tag-anaheim","tag-anaheim-ducks","tag-anaheim-headlines","tag-anaheim-news","tag-washington-capitals"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/209331","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=209331"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/209331\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/209332"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=209331"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=209331"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=209331"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}