The Washington Capitals will hold a pre-game ceremony on Sunday honoring John Carlson for recording his 700th career point earlier this season. The Capitals’ alternate captain hit the milestone on January 6 against the Buffalo Sabres, becoming the 31st rearguard in NHL history to reach the mark.
Heading into Sunday’s game against the Utah Hockey Club, Carlson has a resume that puts him on the precipice of Hockey Hall of Fame consideration. He’s registered the 30th most points by a defenseman in NHL history (708), along with the 26th most assists (553), 41st most goals (155), and 91st most games (1,063). Carlson, who spent years as the quarterback of the Capitals power play, also has the 44th most PP assists (214) among rearguards in NHL history, as he’s regularly fed pucks into Alex Ovechkin’s office for one-timers over the last decade. A minutes-eater throughout his career, the two-time NHL All-Star led the league in average ice time (25:54) during the 2023-24 season and has averaged 23 minutes or more in 12 out of his 16 NHL campaigns.
Carlson, a two-time Norris Trophy finalist, also helped lead the Capitals to their only Stanley Cup championship in 2018, notching 20 points (5g, 15a) in 24 playoff games.
Spencer Carbery extolled Carlson’s value to the press on Saturday. Though only the Capitals head coach for the last two seasons, Carbery has watched most of the defenseman’s career from afar while serving as a bench boss in the minors for the Capitals’ affiliates.
“So what I’ve come to appreciate is what the rest of the world doesn’t see,” Carbery began. “And it’s a shame because John’s such an underrated defenseman, and hopefully, I can help that. People will reflect back on his career and really peel back the layers of truly how good he is and how much he’s done for this team in a bunch of different eras.
“And what a shame how, at least the way that I perceive it, how under-appreciated he is as a defenseman and how valuable he is. I look at, too, what he’s doing right now in this part of his career. In 2018, all that stuff is really, really impressive. But this, to me, may be even more impressive with our team and now as it’s turned over and younger players. What he’s doing now as a number-one defenseman is special.”
During Carlson’s 876:34 of five-on-five ice time this season, the Capitals have controlled 54.8 percent of the shot attempts, 55.3 percent of the expected goals, 54.8 percent of the scoring chances, and 54 percent of the high-danger chances. Washington has outscored their opposition 44-32 with him on the ice.
Carlson already owns the Capitals’ franchise records in games played (1,063), goals (155), assists (553), and points (708) among defensemen. Per Capitals PR, Carlson joins Alex Ovechkin, Nicklas Backstrom, and Olie Kolzig as the only four players to suit up in 16 seasons with the team.
Despite being 35 and three seasons removed from his last 70-point season, Carbery believes that Carlson could someday break into the NHL’s top 10 list for defensemen in total games. He currently sits 394 games behind that mark, which would require him to play in at least five more seasons.
“My answer would be yes because the thing about John Carlson, the reason I say yes, is because he’s such an intelligent hockey player,” Carbery said. “You watch him get through games, and it’s why he very rarely is hurt. He never puts himself in a bad position to get hit [or go] awkward into the boards. He’s just always in the right spot. You’re like, ‘Gosh, John’s a defenseman going back on pucks all night, and I haven’t seen him get hit in ten games.’ To be able to continue to play with IQ like that, it’s why I don’t think necessarily physical as you get older and maybe foot speed and that stuff. It doesn’t affect him as much as it would on maybe a normal player because of his elite, elite IQ and intelligence.”
While other teams appear to have not held pre-game ceremonies for a defenseman hitting 700 points, the Capitals clearly believe the milestone has considerable significance, as 20 of 25 eligible defensemen who have done so have been inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame. Carlson also only has one additional year remaining on the eight-year extension he signed with Washington in 2018.
Currently, Carlson is riding a season-long five-game assist streak (5 assists). He’s on pace to notch 52 points, the same as last season.
