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Washington Capitals: Top 5 All-Time American-Born Players

By Michael Marzzacco

TORONTO, ON - SEPTEMBER 22: John Carlson #4 of Team USA makes his way towards the ice during the World Cup of Hockey 2016 against Team Czech Republic at Air Canada Centre on September 22, 2016 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Minas Panagiotakis/World Cup of Hockey via Getty Images)
TORONTO, ON - SEPTEMBER 22: John Carlson #4 of Team USA makes his way towards the ice during the World Cup of Hockey 2016 against Team Czech Republic at Air Canada Centre on September 22, 2016 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Minas Panagiotakis/World Cup of Hockey via Getty Images) /
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#3 John Carlson

SASKATOON, SK – JANUARY 3: John Carlson #11 and Jeremy Morin #26 of Team USA celebrate a goal with team mates during the 2010 IIHF World Junior Championship Tournament Semifinal game against Team Sweden on January 3, 2010 at the Credit Union Centre in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada. Team USA defeated Team Sweden 5-2. (Photo by Richard Wolowicz/Getty Images)
SASKATOON, SK – JANUARY 3: John Carlson #11 and Jeremy Morin #26 of Team USA celebrate a goal with team mates during the 2010 IIHF World Junior Championship Tournament Semifinal game against Team Sweden on January 3, 2010 at the Credit Union Centre in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada. Team USA defeated Team Sweden 5-2. (Photo by Richard Wolowicz/Getty Images) /

John Carlson, born in Natick, Massachusetts and raised in New Jersey, was selected at 27th overall by the Capitals in 2008. The defenseman would be a vital piece to the Capitals in the future, helping establish a defense that was once a weakness.

Before Carlson became a star in Washington, he was an alternate captain for Team USA in the 2010 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships. In the Gold Medal game on Jan. 5, 2010, Carlson netted the game-winning goal in overtime to lift Team USA to a 6-5 win over Team Canada.

Carlson recorded four goals and seven points in the seven games of the tournament and was named to the tournament All-Star Team.

Carlson also came up clutch that spring in a big Capitals Game 2 win over the Montreal Canadiens in the first round. A lot of people remember Nicklas Backstrom scoring in overtime to complete the hat trick but that might not have been possible if Carlson didn’t tie the game at 18:39 in the third period.

Carlson was also teammates with Oshie during the 2014 games in Sochi and scored Team USA’s first goal of the tournament on Feb. 13 against Slovakia at 15:27 in the opening period.

US John Carlson controls the puck during the Men’s Ice Hockey Semifinal match between the USA and Canada at the Bolshoy Ice Dome during the Sochi Winter Olympics on February 21, 2014. AFP PHOTO / JONATHAN NACKSTRAND (Photo credit should read JONATHAN NACKSTRAND/AFP/Getty Images)
US John Carlson controls the puck during the Men’s Ice Hockey Semifinal match between the USA and Canada at the Bolshoy Ice Dome during the Sochi Winter Olympics on February 21, 2014. AFP PHOTO / JONATHAN NACKSTRAND (Photo credit should read JONATHAN NACKSTRAND/AFP/Getty Images) /

Carlson and Oshie are the only two players on the current Capitals roster who have shined on the brightest stage for Team USA Hockey.

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