ARLINGTON, Va. — John Carlson‘s uncertain future with the Washington Capitals hasn’t dampened his enthusiasm about his 17th NHL season.

“It’s awesome,” the 35-year-old defenseman said. “It’s truly a privilege to play this long, to do it at a high level. I feel as good as ever.”

While the start of teammate Alex Ovechkin‘s 21st and potentially final NHL season got a lot of attention last week, Carlson flew mostly under the radar, though like Ovechkin, he’s in the final season of his contract. Being overshadowed isn’t new for Carlson, who has one assist and leads the Capitals (2-1-0) by averaging 23:48 of ice time in three games this season heading into a visit from the Tampa Bay Lightning (1-2-0) at Capital One Arena on Tuesday (7 p.m. ET; MNMT, ESPN).

Unlike the undecided Ovechkin, Carlson isn’t considering retirement after this season.

“No, that’s not a thought,” he said.

Of course, Carlson hopes to continue playing with Washington, which selected him in the first round (No. 27) of the 2008 NHL Draft. This is home for Carlson, who lives in the area year-round with wife Gina and their four children, sons Lucca, 10, Rudy, 7, and Sawyer, 4, and daughter Isabella, 2.

The Capitals aren’t ready to commit to re-signing Carlson yet.

“Just kind of let the season play out and see how things go,” general manager Chris Patrick said on the first day of training camp. “John’s been a huge part of this organization. He’s on the Mount Rushmore of great Caps and we’re going to see where things go with him.”

Although Carlson acknowledged “anybody would probably love security” from re-signing early, he understands it’s part of the business. He also played out the final season of his previous contract in 2017-18.

Carlson was more in control then, though, knowing the Capitals wanted him back and he’d be one of the top unrestricted free agents available if he hit the market. Washington re-signed him to an eight-year, $64 million contract (average annual value of $8 million) June 24, 2018, 17 days after he helped them win the Stanley Cup.

He faces more unknowns this time.

“I guess I haven’t had many of these conversations,” he said. “But I think I’ve been around and been an ear and a shoulder and an influence on a lot of other people in terms of talking through things (with contracts) and helping them in certain way. So, it’s not like it’s foreign to me, but at the end of the day, when the lights come on, there’s really nothing else that you can focus on besides what’s on the ice.”

Carlson said he plans to play next season regardless, but him playing for another team is difficult to envision. He is Washington’s all-time leader among defensemen in regular-season games (1,091), goals (156), assists (570), points (726) and power-play points (264).

“I can’t imagine not having him here,” Capitals forward Tom Wilson said. “We’ve grown really close at this point. I’ve watched his family grow up. I’ve watched him become a dad, an amazing dad, and husband. He was at my wedding.

“So, it’s one of those things that you just hope you can play together forever.”

Being in the last season of his contract has provided Carlson with a reminder of how quickly time passes, though. It doesn’t feel like that long ago that he signed it.

“It really is wild,” he said. “A lot of changes. Life doesn’t stop and let you smell the roses. So, it’s the same kind of mentality as wanting to win is just at some point — not now, but not in 10 years — you’re not going to have this chance.”

Carlson says winning the Cup again is his priority. He has flirted with individual accolades, like when he was runner-up to Roman Josi of the Nashville Predators in the voting for the 2020 Norris Trophy, but that was the only time in his career he was a finalist for the award given annually to the League’s top defenseman. He hasn’t received a Norris vote since 2022, when he finished 10th. When he led the NHL by averaging 25:54 of ice time in 2023-24 to help drag the Capitals to a Stanley Cup Playoff berth, the only award recognition he received was a third-place vote for the NHL All-Star Team.

The Capitals were reminded of Carlson’s value in 2022-23, when he missed 36 games while recovering from a skull fracture and lacerated temporal artery after being struck by a slap shot Dec. 23, 2022. Washington went 14-18-4 in his absence and didn’t qualify for the playoffs for the only time in the past 11 seasons.

“We know how good he is being on his team,” Wilson said. “Just a guy who I think at this point seems to be underrated. He doesn’t get the love.”

Wilson was referring to Carlson not being invited to the United States Men’s Olympic Orientation Camp in Plymouth, Michigan, for the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026, which he called, “crazy to me.”

Carlson, who scored the gold-medal winning overtime goal against Canada in the 2010 IIHF World Junior Championship and also represented the U.S. at the 2014 Sochi Olympics and the World Cup of Hockey 2016, acknowledged the orientation camp snub was “a huge disappointment.” USA Hockey called Carlson as a courtesy when he wasn’t one of the seven defensemen selected for the 4 Nations Face-Off last season. There was no similar call for the orientation camp, when 16 defensemen were invited.

“I think I’m good enough to play on the team,” said Carlson, who could pass Mark Howe (742) and Mathieu Schneider (743) this season to move into fifth in points among United States-born defensemen. “I think I’m good enough to play on the team last year. That’s how I took it.”

Not being invited to the orientation camp doesn’t exclude Carlson from being selected to the Olympic team, but he’s not optimistic about his chances.

“I don’t want to get too deep into it,” he said. “But I think any cerebral thinker is thinking whoever is making the decisions probably doesn’t think too highly of that outcome.”

That might serve as motivation for others. Not Carlson.

“I think I’ve got enough motivation, personally,” he said. “Listen, I’m not going to act like a sourpuss about it. I think USA Hockey is in the best spot it’s ever been, truthfully, and that’s great. There’s unbelievable players, great people, and I think those players, whoever makes it, are going to deserve to make the team.

“It’s not my decision. I know what I think about it and that’s kind of where I’ll leave it.”

Being without a contract for next season and seemingly unwanted for the Olympics doesn’t reflect how he’s regarded inside the Capitals locker room.

“Obviously, he’s our best player in the D zone and on the defense overall,” defense partner Martin Fehervary said. “He’s such a great teammate and a big role model for me. He kind of took me under his wing when I got here.”

Capitals coach Spencer Carbery budgeted Carlson’s minutes more last season, and he dropped to 22nd in the NHL at 23:34 per game. That still led Washington by 2:30 ahead of defenseman Jakob Chychrun (21:04).

Carbery plans to trim Carlson’s ice time a little more this season in hopes of keeping him fresher, but anticipates he’ll continue to lead the Capitals on and off the ice.

“He’s such an underrated leader,” Carbery said. “Not enough is said about his leadership skills. He drives our practices, drives with his competitiveness and his work ethic.”

Don’t expect that to change this season. After the Capitals finished first in the Eastern Conference last season before a five-game loss to the Carolina Hurricanes in the second round of the playoffs, Carlson is determined to help push them further.

Perhaps, like in 2018, he’ll end the season with the Cup, and a new contract will follow.

“I know it’s probably cliché, but especially when you get to my age, I don’t have a huge runway like I did when I signed my last contract,” Carlson said. “I think it burns even more that desire to want to get another [championship]. To want to win, to want to play in the Olympics, to win an Olympic medal, I think those are all enormous achievements.

“That’s what I’ve prepared for and that’s what I want to do.”