Home / News / John Carlson becomes Capitals’ all-time leader in points for defensemen

John Carlson becomes Capitals’ all-time leader in points for defensemen

By Ian Oland

 3 Comments

February 23, 2020 3:34 pm

John Carlson just became the franchise leader in points for defensemen after assisting on a third period Carl Hagelin goal.

Carlson passed Calle Johansson for first place after scoring his 475th career point (105g, 370a).

Video

Carlson tallied the secondary assist after putting a shot on net from the point. Penguins goaltender Matt Murray could not corral the rebound and eventually, Carl Hagelin put the puck into the back of the net.

After a ridiculous start to the season, Carlson is having a career year offensively. The assist was Carlson’s 57th of the season – the second most in the NHL. He has 72 points which leads all Capitals players.

The Capitals played a tribute video in Capital One Arena after Carlson got the record.

At the end of it, Calle Johansson, the player Carlson passed, congratulated his former pupil. Johansson was an assistant coach under Adam Oates for two seasons (2012-2014).

“Hi there, Carly. Calle Johansson here from Sweden,” he said. “I wanna congratulate you on your great achievement, on breaking the franchise record. It’s about time somebody did that. It’s been too long. I watch you every game and you’re having a fantastic season. Tremendously coaching you, man. I had a great time. I know it’s a while back. But I’ll never forget it. I wish you continued success. And let’s go Caps!”

Carlson recorded his 475th point in his 750th career game, eclipsing Calle Johansson in 233 fewer games.

“It’s great,” Carlson said of the record. “I’ve been here a while so that obviously helps. I’ve been here during a stretch of the best players in the history of the franchise, so I think there are a lot of factors for me and I’m proud to be a part of it.”

He added that he wasn’t “really thinking about too much, to be honest, with what’s been going on.”

Despite having his struggles defensively over the last month or two, Carlson is considered the favorite to win the Norris Trophy at the end of the year. While also recording an assist, Carlson got a puck put through his legs by Evgeni Malkin for a goal late in the third period.

More from the Capitals:

ARLINGTON, Va. – Washington Capitals defenseman John Carlson became the franchise’s all-time points leader among defensemen after recording two points on Sunday versus the Pittsburgh Penguins at Capital One Arena. Carlson recorded his 475th career point (105g, 370a), passing Calle Johansson (474) for the most points in franchise history among defensemen.

Already the franchise’s leader in assists among defensemen (370), Carlson passed the franchise point mark set by Johansson in 233 fewer games (Johansson: 983 games; Carlson: 750 games). The Natick, Mass., native is now 45 goals shy of becoming the franchise’s all-time leader among defensemen in goals (Kevin Hatcher: 149). Carlson currently ranks second in games played (750), trailing Johansson (983). Since his first season in 2009-10, Carlson ranks fifth among NHL defensemen in points. Carlson’s 210 points since 2017-18 season (43g, 167a) rank first in the NHL.

This season, Carlson’s 72 points (15g, 57a) lead all defensemen, while his 57 assists rank second among all players in the NHL (Leon Draisaitl: 62). Carlson reached the 70 point mark this season in his 59th game, joining Paul Coffey (twice), Phil Housely (twice), Brian Leetch and Al MacInnis as the only defensemen in the last 30 years to accomplish the feat. Carlson’s 23 multi-point games are nine more than the next closest defenseman (Nashville’s Roman Josi: 14).

The 6’3”, 217-pound defenseman is currently on pace for 95 points this season. Only five defensemen in NHL history have recorded more than 100 points in a season (Bobby Orr: six times; Coffey: five times; Denis Potvin, MacInnis and Leetch: each once). With 72 points this season, Carlson has established a new personal single season high. With 20 games remaining this season, Carlson is 10 points shy of setting the franchise record for the most points in a season by a defenseman (Larry Murphy: 81 points in 1986-87).

Earlier this season, Carlson was named to the NHL All-Star Game for the second straight season. He became the seventh defenseman in franchise history to receive multiple All-Star Game selections. Additionally, Carlson was named the NHL’s First Star of the Month for October after recording the second-most points by a defenseman in the month of October in NHL history (Carlson: 23 points; MacInnis: 25 points in October of 1990), becoming the first defenseman to receive the First Star honors since Calgary’s Mark Giordano (November 2014) and the first Capitals defenseman to receive a Three Star of the Month Award since Mike Green (February 2009, Second Star).

Carlson has led the Capitals in ice time in 51 of 62 games and ranks 10th in the NHL in TOI per game (24:39). The Capitals are 29-10-3 this season when Carlson records a point, and no other Capital has recorded a point in as many games this season. Carlson has been on the ice for 83 goals at even strength, which is the most in the NHL. With six game-winning goals this season, Carlson is now one game-winning goal shy of passing Kevin Hatcher (6, 1992-93) for the Capitals’ single-season franchise record by a defensemen and two shy of the NHL record by a defenseman, held by Oliver Ekman-Larsson’s (2015-16: 8).

Carlson was selected by the Capitals in the first round, 27th overall, in the 2008 NHL Draft. He ranks sixth among the 2008 draft class in points.

Since entering the league in 2009, Carlson has participated in a full season six times. Carlson holds the third-longest consecutive games played streak in franchise history, appearing in 412 consecutive games from April 9, 2010 to Dec. 26, 2015.

Internationally Carlson has represented the United States at the World Cup (2016), the Olympic Games (2014) and the World Junior Championship (2010). As an alternate captain for the 2010 World Junior Championship team, Carlson won a gold medal and scored the overtime championship winner against Canada. He was named to the World Junior Championship All Star Team and led all World Junior Championship defensemen in goals scored (3).

Full RMNB Coverage of Caps vs Penguins

Headline photo courtesy of NBC

, , ,