‘Monster year’ could land Caps defender Carlson monster contract
John Carlson can’t forget that he is fighting for the National Hockey League lead for points among defencemen because his Washington Capitals teammates keep razzing him about it.
“The guys do a good job of pumping that up in the lockerroom,” Carlson said.
Carlson’s 61 points have him tied with the Dallas Stars’ John Klingberg, and he is a dark horse candidate for the Norris Trophy as the league’s top defenceman.
“John’s having just a whale of a year,” teammate Matt Niskanen said. “Monster year — production, been carrying the load all year.”
This breakout season with a career-high 15 goals and 46 assists is coming at a perfect time for Carlson, who is set to be an unrestricted free agent this summer but has been flying under the radar compared to New York Islanders captain John Tavares. Carlson could command upward of $7 million per season on a deal that’s almost certain to be eight years if Washington re-signs him or seven if he hits the market
July 1.
The 28-year-old has outperformed the six-year contract he signed in 2012 that pays him just under $4 million a year. He has shown the ability to be a dominant No. 1 defenceman by averaging 25 minutes a game, running the point on the top power-play unit, killing penalties and drawing the toughest matchups.
A 2008 first-round pick of the Capitals, Carlson likes Washington and would like to stay if the fit is there. General manager Brian MacLellan has said he believes each side wants to get a deal done, but will wait until after the season to try to make it happen.
Carlson might not reach the $7.875-million annual salary of Tampa Bay defenceman Victor Hedman who, along with Drew Doughty of the Los Angeles Kings, is a Norris frontrunner.
Carlson isn’t the only player excelling in a contract year.
Here are
some others:
James van Riemsdyk
Thirty-goal scorers get paid handsomely in free agency because they are so rarely available. Van Riemsdyk’s 33 goals are 11th-most in the NHL, and the six-foot-three, 217-pound leftwinger has gotten better around the net.
John Tavares
Undoubtedly the best pending free agent, Tavares still not having a new contract with the New York Islanders is generating buzz and whispers. The Islanders will miss the playoffs for the second consecutive season and sixth time in Tavares’s nine years in the league. The point-a-game player with 32 goals and 43 assists could fetch $10 million a year or more if he isn’t back with New York.
David Perron
The Vegas Golden Knights struck gold with Perron, whose 66 points are a career high and a big reason they are leading the Pacific Division. The soon-to-be 30-year-old winger got his game back after bouncing around to four different teams the past five seasons.
Joe Thornton
Knee surgery knocked Thornton out of the San Jose Sharks’ lineup in January, cutting short a season in which he had 36 points in 43 games at age 38.
Rick Nash
Going from the New York Rangers to Boston appears to have reinvigorated Nash’s game after just 28 points in 60 games before the trade. The 33-year-old power winger’s contract year won’t truly be judged until the playoffs, where he gets another chance to exorcise past demons.