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1 hour ago
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It still looks weird.
John Carlson is wearing an Anaheim Ducks uniform in this postseason, not a Washington Capitals one. And the Ducks are moving on, having knocked the Edmonton Oilers out of the playoffs on Thursday night.
The Capitals are likely watching Carlson with a thought of bringing him back in free agency.
But for now, they have to wait -- aside from the fact that free agency doesn't open until the summer, Carlson simply has more hockey games to play.
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Eventually, it'll be one of the big questions of Washington's offense -- does Carlson want to come back?
Daily Faceoff's Matt Larkin broke it down in a new article on Friday, and he acknowledges the difficulty that could be at play.
"I’m still in shock that the Caps moved the most productive, longest-tenured defenseman in their history for a pick when they were four points out of a Wildcard spot and while he and legend Alex Ovechkin were in the final seasons of their deals," Larkin writes. "I get planning for the future but, sheesh, the juju element of the trade was tough to stomach. Is there a scenario in which Carlson, a family man entrenched in the community across his 17 seasons, returns to D.C. at a discount in the summer, or did the trade sever the bond for good?"
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Carlson has been good enough since the trade to ensure that he'll have solid contract value this offseason.
"Even at 36, he’s enough of an impact maker offensively, especially on the power play, that he’ll attract plenty of offer," Larkin writes. "He’s racked up 18 points in 21 games between the regular season and playoffs since the trade. He’s far from finished."
It'd be a morale boost for the Capitals, and Ovechkin, to bring Carlson back. First, he's going to try to surprise the NHL and win a Cup with the Ducks.
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