5 NHL teams John Carlson should stay away from in 2018-19

While the NHL playoffs still reign supreme, the offseason will be upon us shortly. That means we’re nearing the point of the free agency sweepstakes. Who will John Tavares and John Carlson sign with? Maybe just as importantly, who should they avoid?

With NHL free agency just around the corner, and with only four teams remaining in the postseason, it’s time to start looking at the big names that could be acquired this offseason. Center John Tavares and defenseman John Carlson will be the most heavily pursued, and there are a few other names that could round out a team’s list. Especially if those teams are facing salary cap problems.

Yet, just because a team applies a heavy pitch for a big name doesn’t mean that player has to or even should sign with them. We feel that every player should go for what’s in his best interest. That means there are other factors outside of money that come into play, such as how successful the team will be through the length of the contract.

Previously we looked at five teams John Tavares should avoid. Today we do the same for the Washington Capitals’ John Carlson. Let’s remember that Carlson in all probability is searching out a long-term deal. While he could sign with a club that’s ready to win next season, we don’t want to see him grow moldy on a team that rebuilds for six years beyond that with no chance at a title. If he signs anywhere, it should be for the long haul with a group ready-made and able to compete for the next four or five seasons in the least.

Also, the salary cap is projected to rise from $75 million to somewhere just below $82 million. For the purpose of this article, we state that each team will have $80 million to spend this summer.

5. Dallas Stars

We start with the Dallas Stars, if only because they have been wildly inconsistent for the better part of a decade. With an additional $23 million in cap space, they could potentially sign Carlson and wait next summer to resign Tyler Seguin. The smart move would be to rid themselves of the $7 million Jason Spezza contract and re-sign Seguin now with more room left over to add contending pieces. This is all pipe dream stuff and not likely but we want to have fun with the idea.

One problem is that Dallas has so much talent on the roster and it hasn’t materialized at all. It’s actually mind-boggling. Jamie Benn put up 79 points this season and won the Art Ross Trophy in 2015. Seguin scored 40 goals with 78 points. Alexander Radulov scored 72 points. Defenseman John Klingberg had 67 points and at times was in the discussion for the Norris Trophy. And you know what? The Stars have made the playoffs twice in 10 years. They’re working on coach number five in that span with Jim Montgomery. They also forced fans to endure the worst regular season collapse in recent memory.

That isn’t to say that Dallas is a mess. But the Stars are incredibly Jekyll and Hyde. In 2016, Dallas was the best team in the Western Conference, only to get bounced by St. Louis in Round 2. The following year was a disaster as the Stars finished sixth in the Central Division. Each year seems to be one player away from a title. Each year for the last six at least.

As a devout Stars fan, Carlson would be amazing. At the same time, the blue line is awfully crowded as is. Klingberg was mentioned, but they also have Esa Lindell on the roster. They have third overall pick Miro Heiskanen waiting for a role on defense, and they’re still trying to figure out former first-rounder Julius Honka. They could use the upgrade, but their issue is depth at forward.

If Carlson wanted to come to the Stars, you’d find no complaints here. But for longevity sake? There are better options.