Former Washington Capitals defenseman John Carlson has found his new home.
Carlson signed a two-year contract with the Tampa Bay Lightning worth $8.5 million per season. The Athletic’s Pierre LeBrun first reported the news shortly before midnight.
Though Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman linked Carlson and the Lightning more than a week before the start of free agency, the Carolina Hurricanes made a big push to convince Carlson to sign, acquiring Carlson’s rights at the 2026 NHL Draft last weekend but failing to come to an agreement.
Carlson’s deal falls well short of the $10 million salary LeBrun believed the market would be for the two-time NHL All-Star. Notably, Tampa Bay general manager Julien BriseBois gave Carlson the same cap hit that former Lightning defenseman Darren Raddysh ended up with after being signed and traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs last week.
A 17-year veteran in Washington, Carlson’s tenure in DC ended when the Capitals traded him to the Anaheim Ducks this spring for a first-round and third-round pick. Carlson tallied 14 points (4g, 10a) in 16 games in Anaheim to end the regular season with 60 points (14g, 46a), then added six assists in 12 Ducks playoff games.
