#18 John Carlson
John Carlson was drafted in the first round at 27th overall in 2008 and he’s been an elite defensemen on the Capitals ever since. He had goals in single digits until the 2013-14 season and then since became a very elite offensive defensemen.
Carlson first made noise on a game tying goal in Game 2 against the Montreal Canadiens in the first round in 2010. It was a game where Nicklas Backstrom completed a hat trick and made the building go bonkers but it was Carlson’s goal that energized the crowd. And he hadn’t played in a Caps game in the regular season, he was called up from Hershey at the time.
Last season Carlson had 17 goals and 54 assists for 71 points. In 2019-20 he was runner up to Roman Josi for the Norris trophy as the league’s best defensemen. But he had a good year that year too with 15 goals and 60 assists for 75 points.
Carlson won the Calder Cup with the Hershey Bears before he tasted Stanley Cup success with the Caps and after he won a Stanley Cup with the varsity squad he signed a massive extension ensuring that he would be a Capital for life.
Carlson might be the best Caps defensemen of all time.