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Capitals sign defenseman Gabriel Carlsson to one-year, two-way deal

By Chris Cerullo

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July 20, 2022 2:16 pm

The Washington Capitals have added to their depth on defense as the team announced Wednesday they have signed lefthanded defenseman Gabriel Carlsson to a one-year, two-way contract.

Carlsson joins Matt Irwin and Erik Gustafsson as the third free agency pickup on the blueline this offseason.

The left-shooting Carlsson will likely join Lucas Johansen, Irwin, and Gustafsson in what has become a crowded competition for a third pairing role next to Trevor van Riemsdyk.

The Swedish rearguard was selected 29th overall in the 2015 NHL Draft by the Columbus Blue Jackets and has spent his entire career up until this point in that organization. The six-foot-five, 195-pound Carlsson played in 38 games at the NHL level last season and recorded nine points.

Overall in his career, he has gotten into 75 NHL games.

Here’s the press release from the team:

Capitals sign Gabriel Carlsson

ARLINGTON, Va. – The Washington Capitals have signed defenseman Gabriel Carlsson to a one-year, two-way contract ($750,000/$400,000), senior vice president and general manager Brian MacLellan announced today.

Carlsson, 25, recorded nine points (2g, 7a) in 38 games with the Columbus Blue Jackets in 2021-22. The 6’5″, 195-pound defenseman established single-season career highs in goals, assists, points and games played last season, while leading Blue Jackets defensemen in plus/minus (+6). Carlsson also appeared in two games with the Cleveland Monsters of the American Hockey League (AHL), where he registered two assists.

The Orebro, Sweden native has played parts of five seasons with Cleveland, appearing in an AHL career high 67 games with the Monsters in 2018-19. During the 2018-19 season, Carlsson recorded 12 points (2g, 10) and added three assists in eight Calder Cup Playoff games.

Carlsson has recorded 16 points (3g, 13a) in 75 career NHL games with Columbus. In 146 career AHL games with Cleveland, Carlsson has recorded 32 points (6g, 26a).

Carlsson was drafted by Columbus in the first round (29th overall) of the 2015 NHL Draft.

Headline photo: Elizabeth Kong/RMNB

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