Carlson, Lightning Excited For New Beginnings
By MIke Smith | Thunderstruck Sports
After six hours of speculation, deals, and trades, the night looked to be over for the Tampa Bay Lightning on the first day of free agency on Wednesday. Then, literally at the twelfth hour, as the clock neared midnight and many fans had gone to bed, the Bolts secured one last move: Signing veteran defenseman John Carlson to a two-year, $17 million deal. A deal that can be the difference as the team looks for a deep playoff run next season.
The 36-year-old defenseman had 60 points (14 goals, 46 assists) in 71 regular-season games for the Anaheim Ducks and Washington Capitals last season, including 14 points (four goals, 10 assists) in 16 games after he was acquired from Washington in a trade on March 5.
He had six assists in 12 Stanley Cup Playoff games.
Now, Carlson looks to secure a prominent role with the Tampa Bay Lightning after a busy Canada Day on Wednesday, testing the free-agent market.
“It was different,” Carlson said Thursday of free agency. “It was certainly something I never had to embark on, which in some ways I’m very thankful for, but it’s cool in a lot of ways too. It’s cool to hear the chatter, and answer some calls and figure some stuff out. That aspect that is cool is to reach across the hockey community, and you get to talk to some cool people. And then you rely on your friends and your family and your friends around the League.”
Filling A Void
With the departure of Darren Raddysh to Toronto last month, Lightning GM Julien BriseBois spent the past few weeks evaluating the void left behind and the options available to Tampa Bay going forward.
“Everyone could see Darren Raddysh played a lot of minutes as a right-shot defenseman who can run a power play and play on the first pair,” BriseBois said. “Who was available that could be ideal to fit that role?"
When BriseBois spoke to the media early Wednesday evening, he touted how happy team management was with the trio of JJ Moser, Charle-Edouard D'Astous, and Emile Lilleberg and their ability to play both sides of the blue line.
"I would say we have a number of left-shot D who can play on the right side, so that is an option," he said. "And as of right now, that is the option...We're always looking at ways to improve our team."
"There's still some players out there, there's some trade talk going on. I don't know that it's necessarily going to lead to anything in the short term, but I would say right now we have seven defensemen that are really good NHL defensemen that we like. They fit our identity. We're happy to have them, and if we go into the season with those seven defensemen, we're really comfortable with our D core."
Behind the scenes, the Lightning had been working on the deal since free agency began that day.
"John Carlson is a potential free agent, and this is his profile (same as Raddysh), who has an opportunity to put his best foot forward, and it kind of made total sense for everyone," BriseBois said Thursday. "You didn’t need to be a hockey genius to see this could be a really good match.”
On Saturday, the Ducks traded Carlson's rights to the Stanley Cup Champion Carolina Hurricanes; however, the team could not reach a deal before Carlson became an unrestricted free agent on Wednesday.
“He hit free agency at noon, and we made contact,” BriseBois continued. “We had conversations with him, (Lightning coach Jon Cooper), his agent. He was weighing different options all through Canada Day (on Wednesday).
“He called me late last night and told me that he was going to Tampa. That was great news, and I was happy. I was happy we got that done because he’s a great fit for us.”
Carlson Excited to Be A Bolt
Carlson met with the media on a virtual call Thursday afternoon and spoke of his excitement about heading to Tampa Bay.
“It was a very busy day,” Carlson said. “It had been crazier than I had anticipated coming into it too. But this was always an amazing place, an amazing organization, and I’m just glad that I came to this conclusion and I’m thrilled to be a part of the team.”
After being traded from Washington to Anaheim, Carlson helped the Ducks reach the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the first time since 2017-18. The Ducks beat Edmonton in the first round before losing to eventual Western Conference champion Las Vegas in the second.
Now, Carlson has chosen a home in Tampa Bay.
“I know the pedigree of the organization and certainly the players,” Carlson said, “from guys that have been through there, behind the scenes and all that, and also playing against them for so many years and seeing just what’s there on display every night has been fun to watch and not to play against. From that standpoint, that’s a slam dunk. I think it’s a fabulous place to live, raise kids and have a family in a great environment. There’s really zero drawback to coming to Tampa.”
Lightning Embrace Carlson's Potential
Carlson has 785 points (170 goals, 615 assists) in 1,159 regular-season games and 84 points (21 goals, 63 assists) in 149 playoff games.
The 36-year-old has the fifth-most points among United States-born defensemen in NHL history. Carlson is celebrated as an elite offensive defenseman with a lethal slapshot, top-notch playmaking, and exceptional durability.
“I’m a competitor. I want to get better all the time,” Carlson said. “I want to find ways to improve, and certainly with how great the League is right now, how great these players are, and they’re only getting better. You just have to keep being a student of the game and keep finding ways to keep finding niches to better yourself, and I think that’s what I’ve set my mind to doing, especially the last couple of years, and that’s my thought process on it.”
Carlson is celebrated as an elite offensive defenseman with a lethal slapshot, top-notch playmaking, and exceptional durability. The Natick, Massachusetts native can fill the gap left by Raddysh in the short term, which the two-year deal accounts for.
He has the experience and veteran status the Lightning need, and the Bolts are looking to not lose a step in the Atlantic Division. His guidance and experience can also help give Moser, D'Astous, and Lilleberg time to continue developing their games and growing.
“He's a good player, can still play on a top pair at the NHL level, can still be on a first power play," BriseBois said. "With Kuch(erov) kind of being the maestro of our power play, you can make an argument that we're better off having a right-shot guy at the point. John Carlson has made a career of being that guy, awesome human being as well.”
Carlson's defensive zone coverage is sometimes criticized, and his lateral mobility and decision-making can make him a liability under aggressive forechecks. However, he has the tenacity the Lightning defense needs that perhaps Raddysh did not.
BriseBois is confident Carlson will fit in well in a new environment. He was impressed how quickly Carlson jelled with a young Anaheim team last season.
“It’s always interesting to see when a player goes to another organization after being in one spot for so long,” BriseBois said. “Usually there is a period of adaptation, and he went to Anaheim and was so good for them. He’s a humble guy, but he’s been a really good player for a long, long time. He’s unassuming, not flashy.
“Some defensemen that garner a lot of attention are a little flashier and attract the spotlight a little bit more. But when you look at John Carlson’s career and the work he’s put in, the performances year after year, after year, he’s been incredibly consistent.”
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