Veteran defenceman John Carlson and his agent have informed Anaheim Ducks general manager Pat Verbeek that he will not be re-signing with the club, TSN Hockey Insider Pierre LeBrun reports.
LeBrun adds the two sides talked about a potential extension but the 36-year-old blueliner has chosen to move on, with a preference to return to the Eastern Conference.
“I’ve had good discussions with Pat,” Carlson’s agent Rick Curran told LeBrun for The Athletic on Tuesday. “I told him how much John enjoyed his time in Anaheim. But his preference is to return and play in the East, closer to family and the familiarity with it. Pat was naturally disappointed but completely understood.”
Carlson spent the majority of his 17-year NHL career with the Washington Capitals before he was dealt to the Ducks at this year’s trade deadline.
LeBrun says that there will be strong interest in the 36-year-old blueliner, with at least four or five Eastern Conference teams in the mix for his services. Prior to being traded, Carlson and the Capitals were discussing a two-year extension with an average annual value of $9 million that would have kept him in Washington through the 2027-28 season.
When free agency opens on July 1, LeBrun believes Carslon could sign a two-year deal worth $10 million per season or more. Should Darren Raddysh walk as an unrestricted free agent, the Tampa Bay Lightning are one team that could have serious interest in Carlson.
Carlson is No. 6 on TSN Hockey’s Top 30 UFA List.
The Natick, Mass., native continued to be one of the most consistent offensive defencemen in the league as he totalled 14 goals and 60 points in 71 games between the two clubs this season.
In 1,159 career games, Carlson has recorded 170 goals and 785 points. He is a two-time All-Star, one-time Stanley Cup Champion and has finished in the top-10 in Norris Trophy voting five times in his career.
With Carlson on the move, the Ducks could re-engage in contract talks with pending free agent Jacob Trouba. The 32-year-old and the club have mutual interest in a reunion and have has discussions over the past two months, LeBrun reports.
Trouba had 10 goals and 35 points in 81 games with the Ducks last season, his second with the club after being acquired from the New York Rangers. He is coming off a seven-year $56M deal ($8M AAV) he signed with the Rangers in 2019.
