25 top NHL free agents teams will be dying to sign in 2018
By David Rouben
3. John Carlson
The Capitals have built themselves one hell of a blue line over the years. After getting roundly criticized for signing Matt Niskanen to a seven-year contract, he has turned into a steady presence. His partner, Dmitri Orlov, is rounding into form as a bright young star. Brooks Orpik is the greybeard, but he still finds ways to contribute and serves as the leader of the group.
But John Carlson is the reason why the Capitals’ D-core is an upper echelon group. He puts them over the top by driving the offense and, in a contract year, played all 82 games while putting up a career high 68 points. There’s shades of Mike Green in his game, but he’s better defensively. While the Capitals have more than enough talent to make up for Carlson’s loss, they should do everything in their power to keep him.
Why he’s in demand: As far as free-agent defensemen, Carlson is the cream of the crop. Every team wants his services, but a select few would be able to afford him. While he has stepped his game up this year, he frequently leads his team in ice time and effortlessly quarterbacks the powerplay.
PAY JOHN CARLSON $100 BILLION EARTH DOLLARS A YEAR
— Jason Rogers (@HeyJayJRogers) March 16, 2018
Carlson’s a big reason the Capitals have made it this far. With 17 points in 21 games, he has been flat out dominant in these playoffs. Had they lost to the Penguins again, the front office would’ve had a hard time convincing him to come back. But now that they’re within touching distance of the Stanley Cup, their sales pitch has become a lot easier. It’s hard to imagine the feeling isn’t mutual.
Teams with the best chance to sign him: Pierre LeBrun speculated that Carlson would be “a heck of a fit” in Vegas if the Capitals don’t end up re-signing him. Depending on how this series plays out, it would be interesting to gauge the fans’ reaction if that ends up happening.
The Caps will do everything they can to sign pending UFA John Carlson to an extension but if they can't, he'd be a heck of a fit here in Vegas. But that's a story for another day.
— Pierre LeBrun (@PierreVLeBrun) May 29, 2018
Beyond the Cup Finalists, he could turn the Oilers around in a hurry if he winds up there. The Islanders should also consider him, especially if they lose John Tavares as he would not only help fill that void, he’d upgrade the blue line, killing two birds with one stone. Regardless of where he ends up, Carlson deserves to get paid like an elite winger.