Capitals trade John Carlson in a blockbuster trade

In a shocking late night trade, the Washington Capitals have traded 36 year old defenseman John Carlson to the Anaheim Ducks in exchange for a conditional 2026 1st round draft pick and a 2027 3rd round draft pick.

The condition on the 1st round pick is simply that if the Ducks somehow fail to qualify for this upcoming playoffs then the pick moves to 2027.

Carlson has 10 goals and 36 assists for 46 points in 55 games with the Capitals this season, who are four points out of the playoffs as of trade deadline. Does this trade signal a rebuild in D.C.? And if it does, what does that mean for captain and future Hall of Famer Alex Ovechkin?

Carlson leaves the Capitals as inarguably the greatest Capitals defenseman in franchise history.

He joins a Ducks team that already boasts veteran talent like Jacob Trouba and Radko Gudas. 24 year old Olympian Jackson LaCombe completes their top four.

The Ducks go into deadline day with a whopping $44 million in cap space, despite acquiring the entirety of Carlson's $8 million annual salary.