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John Carlson makes NHL’s First All-Star Team for the first time in his career

By Ian Oland

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September 21, 2020 8:15 pm

John Carlson didn’t win the Norris Trophy, but he did make the NHL’s First All-Star Team for the first time in his career.

According to the Capitals, Carlson is only the fourth Capitals defenseman ever to earn the distinction, joining Mike Green (2008-09, 2009-10), Scott Stevens (1987-88), and Rod Langway (1982-83, 1983-84).

Here are the full final vote totals.

Carlson received 140 first-place votes, 20 fewer than Roman Josi, and 771 points overall. Alex Ovechkin was the only other Capital to get votes as the third-best left wing, finishing behind Artemi Panarin and Brad Marchand. He also received a vote as a right wing for some reason.

Earlier in the night, Carlson finished second to Roman Josi in Norris Trophy voting.

More from the Capitals:

ARLINGTON, Va. – The NHL announced today that Capitals alternate captain John Carlson was named to the NHL’s First All-Star Team, as voted by representatives of the Professional Hockey Writers Organization. This marks the first time Carlson has been named to the First Team in his career (in addition to one Second Team honor, 2018-19).

Carlson joins Mike Green (2008-09, 2009-10), Scott Stevens (1987-88) and Rod Langway (1982-83, 1983-84) as the only defensemen in franchise history to be named to the NHL’s First All-Star Team.

Carlson’s 75 points in 69 games (15g, 60a) led all defensemen this season, and his 1.09 points per game were the highest total by a defenseman since Ray Bourque, Al MacInnis and Sergei Zubov in the 1993-94 season. This season, Carlson was on pace for 89 points over an 82-game season. Only nine defensemen in NHL history have recorded 89 points in a season (Coffey: eight times; Bobby Orr: six times; Bourque: four times; Denis Potvin: three times; MacInnis: twice; Phil Housley, Brian Leetch, Gary Suter and Zubov: each once). Carlson’s 89 points would have been the highest by a defenseman since Bourque and Zubov in 1993-94 (Bourque: 91 points; Zubov: 89 points).

Carlson’s 60 assists led all NHL defensemen and ranked fourth among all players in the NHL (Leon Draisaitl: 67; Connor McDavid: 63; Artemi Panarin: 63). Carlson is the first defenseman to rank fourth or better in the NHL in assists in a single season since Victor Hedman in 2016-17. He became the 10th defenseman since 1979-80 to record 60 assists within his first 67 games. Over the last twenty seasons, only three other defensemen have recorded at least 60 assists in a season (Nicklas Lidstrom, twice, 2005-06 and 2007-08: 64 and 60 assists, respectively; Erik Karlsson, 2015-16: 66 assists; Brent Burns, 2018-19: 67 assists). Carlson was on pace for 71 assists prior to the suspension of the season, which would have been the highest total by a defenseman since 1993-94.

Carlson led all defensemen in game-winning goals (6), two shy of the NHL record set by Oliver Ekman-Larsson in 2015-16. He ranked seventh in the NHL in time on ice (1,699:14) and led all defensemen in time on ice per shift (0:58).

More from the NHL:

NHL Announces 2019-20 First and Second All-Star Teams

In Unprecedented Vote, Entire First Team Making Inaugural Appearance on Top Squad

EDMONTON (Sept. 21, 2020) – Edmonton Oilers center Leon Draisaitl, who earlier today captured the Hart Trophy as NHL MVP and Ted Lindsay Award for most outstanding player as selected by the players at the “2020 NHL Awards presented by Las Vegas,” heads the list of players voted to the 2019-20 NHL First All-Star Team.

Flanking Draisaitl as First Team forwards are Hart Trophy finalist Artemi Panarin of the New York Rangers at left wing and Maurice Richard Trophy winner David Pastrnak of the Boston Bruins on right wing. The defensemen are Norris Trophy winner Roman Josi of the Nashville Predators and finalist John Carlson of the Washington Capitals. The goaltender is Vezina Trophy winner Connor Hellebuyck of the Winnipeg Jets.

All six members of the First Team are making their career debut on the squad for the first time since NHL postseason All-Star Team selection began in 1930-31. Panarin, Carlson and Hellebuyck had previously been voted to a Second Team.

Four of the six places on the Second Team are taken by Atlantic Division and 2020 Stanley Cup Playoff rivals Boston Bruins and Tampa Bay Lightning.

Bruins voted to the Second Team are goaltender Tuukka Rask, adding to his First Team berth in 2013-14, and left wing Brad Marchand, receiving his third career postseason All-Star nod (1 First Team, 2 Second Team). Lightning players on the Second Team are defenseman Victor Hedman and right wing Nikita Kucherov, both of whom are postseason All-Stars for the fourth time (Hedman, 1 First Team, 3 Second Team; Kucherov, 2 First Team, 2 Second Team).

Joining the Atlantic Division quartet is center Nathan MacKinnon of the Colorado Avalanche, voted to the Second Team for the second time, and defenseman Alex Pietrangelo of the St. Louis Blues, who landed a Second Team berth for the third time.

Voting for the All-Star Team was conducted among representatives of the Professional Hockey Writers Association after the conclusion of the regular season.

Headline photo: NHL PR

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