Even though he’s only worn a Lightning jersey for a few weeks, it’s pretty remarkable how well John Carlson already fits in, both on and off the ice.
When the Lightning on July 1 signed the veteran defenseman to a two-year contract with an average annual value of $8.5 million, they knew the kind of steady player they were getting. Carlson, 36, has been one of the best puck-moving, offensive-minded defensemen in the game for more than a decade, delivering in big moments throughout his career.
Seeing how quickly he assimilated into a veteran dressing room has reinforced that the move was the right one for the club.
“He’s navigated this league for a long time, but you want to get a feel for what type of guy he is,” said coach Jon Cooper. “He’s one of those guys that people gravitate around, and I can see why he’s had the career he’s had, especially pretty much for one team. He’s just walked right in here, and it’s like he’s played here for a decade, so it’s pretty impressive.
“You want to have guys like that, and he’s not coming in here saying, ‘I’m John Carlson, and I’ve got (Stanley) Cups, and I’ve got this, and I’ve got that.’ He just came in here, and he wants to learn. He wants to be part of the group, and the great thing for us is he’s just seamlessly fit right in.”
Whether Carlson ends up being a missing piece that can help the Lightning get back to the Stanley Cup Final remains to be seen. But he won a championship with Washington in 2018 and spent most of his career playing alongside one of the best players in the game in Alex Ovechkin. Now, he’ll team with another in Nikita Kucherov.
“You get a little bit of everything,” Lightning forward Brandon Hagel said. “He can relate to a lot of guys. Obviously, power play, right-handed shot, those are not easy to find, and you’re able to get one of the best ones in the league. He brings a calm presence. He knows the ins and outs. He’s won. So, to add just a piece like that is really good.”
After Darren Raddysh left for Toronto in a sign-and-trade deal following a breakout season with the Lightning, it left a huge void on the right side of the Tampa Bay defense.
The Lightning navigate free agency carefully. If they’re going to make a splash, it’s going to be for a critical piece. And if they weren’t going to be the team to give Raddysh the long-term deal he was certain to receive during the summer, they were determined to invest that money wisely elsewhere.
Enter Carlson, who spent almost his entire 17-year career with the Washington Capitals before a deadline deal sent him to Anaheim, where he helped the Ducks to the second round of the playoffs.
Carlson wanted a place where he could win but also feel at home, especially after spending so much time in one organization that felt like a family to him. And after competing against the Lightning for so many years, he thought Tampa Bay was the place to be.
“When an organization is as successful as they are for so long, I think it can only be one way,” Carlson said. “It can only be great. … The teams that last forever have a great foundation, they have great people in the organization, the decision-makers, the players, the staffing. That all means so much to me. And I think some of the most fun things are the relationships you make with other people. That whole family feel is important to me.”
Carlson already is one of the more vocal players in practices, wearing a smile and joking around with his new teammates. He’s formed a quick bond with pairing partner JJ Moser. Ryan McDonagh, a former United States teammate in the 2014 Sochi Olympics and 2016 World Cup of Hockey, has helped Carlson and his family get adjusted to Tampa Bay.
“His game speaks for itself,” McDonagh said. “But as far as already in the room, he’s talking to guys, he’s grabbing guys, he’s getting together with the group. He knows how important that stuff is. He’s won before, and to add a winner like that with a wealth of experience, let alone the skill set that he brings offensively and defensively, it’s going to be huge for our group.”
Carlson and his wife, Gina, have four children, ages 3-11, so he had to be in Tampa early to get his family settled and his kids in school. It gave him a good month to skate with his new teammates and learn about them and his new environment.
“There were a lot of guys here from that time,” Carlson said. “And it allowed me a lot more time to get comfortable with the place, with everybody around you, the trainers, teammates, stuff like that. So, that that acclimation was great, and now I feel like I’m not guessing or not wondering about a lot of things, and so that’s a positive …
“At first, it’s just getting comfortable before camp, but you start, you know, seeing habits, seeing what makes them tick, and that sort of thing is always great information for me and something that I like.”
In McDonagh, Carlson and Victor Hedman, the Lightning have three of the four most experienced active defensemen in terms of playoff games played. One thing that stands out about Carlson, McDonagh said, is his ability to deliver in big moments.
Each of the seven games in the Lightning’s first-round loss to the Canadiens was decided by a goal. They got just one goal from a defenseman all series, and the power play went 5-for-29. The Lightning believe Carlson can help in both areas.
Carlson’s stardom began when he scored the gold medal-winning goal for the U.S. in the world juniors in 2010. He’s performed consistently in the NHL playoffs, and his 84 career postseason points are sixth among active defensemen (Hedman is first with 120). During the Capitals’ Cup run in 2018, Carlson led all defensemen with 20 postseason points, including four goals and eight assists on the power play.
“He’s been so clutch,” McDonagh said. “That’s been a huge part of his DNA in his career. When the game’s on the line and you need a play to be made, he’s probably usually involved in it.
“So, it’s huge for us, because we’ve had some regular-season success and we’re trying to find a deep run here in the playoffs. When you look at what can make a difference, it’s one or two plays within a series, and you know we’ve got a guy that’s experienced in playoff hockey and knows what it takes to be a champion.”
Vladislav Gavrikov, right, of the New York Rangers checks John Carlson of the Tampa Bay Lightning during the first period at Madison Square Garden on Thursday in Tampa Bay’s season opener, a 5-1 victory for the Rangers. (Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)