Don't look now, the hottest team in the Eastern Conference is the Washington Capitals. After a slow start to the season, the Capitals are now not only sitting on top of the Metropolitan Division, but also the Eastern Conference with 39 points.
Young rising star Ryan Leonard was recently placed on injured reserve, but that hasn't stopped Washington from going 8-1-1 in their last 10 games. They will be off until Thursday night, when they welcome the Carolina Hurricanes to Capital One Arena.
Looking ahead to the summer, defenseman John Carlson will be a free agent, as he is playing in the final year of his eight-year, $64 million contract. He has spent his entire career in the Nation's Capital since being drafted in the first round, 27th overall, in the 2009 Entry Draft. According to David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period, he doesn't expect Carlson to hit the open market and instead, finish his career with the Capitals.
NHL insider gives update on John Carlson's future with Capitals
The 2026 free agent class for defenseman is not going to blow teams away. That's why locking up the 36-year-old Carlson is necessary for Washington and general manager Chris Patrick, keeping him in a Caps uniform his entire career.
"Despite a thinning 2026 free agent crop, I’m not expecting Carlson to hit the market next July. Sure, it is only December and a lot can change, but the sense I’ve gotten is he wants to keep his career with the Capitals going and the two sides will get down to business when it’s time to do so,'' Pagnotta wrote.
"I am led to believe the conversation between Patrick and Carlson’s camp, once it occurs, will be quick and contract negotiations should not be difficult.''
In his 17 years in Washington, Carlson has played in 1,114 games with 162 goals and 586 assists. This season, he has six goals and 17 assists in 26 games while averaging 22:52 a night. He has missed the last three games with an upper-body injury he suffered last week on a road trip through California.
Washington is in a position to make another run in the Stanley Cup Playoffs in the spring and is looking to maximize Alex Ovechkin's window before he retires. Carlson has been a huge part of Washington's defense and core with Ovechkin, and locking him up before free agency starts is a no-brainer.