John Carlson Reportedly Was Sleeping When Capitals Traded Him to Ducks at NHL Deadline

Veteran defenseman John Carlson reportedly woke up Friday morning to the news he was traded from the Washington Capitals to the Anaheim Ducks overnight.

According to Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic, the trade occurred so late that Carlson was asleep when it happened, and he didn't become aware of the move until the morning.

The Capitals officially announced the move at 1:12 a.m. ET on Friday, noting that they sent Carlson to Anaheim for a conditional first-round pick in 2026 or 2027, and a 2027 third-round pick.

Carlson, 36, was a first-round pick by the Caps in the 2008 NHL draft, and he spent his entire career in Washington before Friday morning's trade.

Over 17 seasons, Carlson has recorded 166 goals and 605 assists for 771 points, while also delivering a plus-114 rating in 1,143 regular-season games.

A two-time All-Star, Carlson was a key member of the Capitals' 2017-18 team, which won the first and only Stanley Cup in franchise history to date.

Despite his age, Carlson is still performing at a high level, as he is on the verge of his third consecutive season with 50 or more points.

In 55 games with the Caps this season, Carlson registered 10 goals and 36 assists for 46 points to go along with a plus-11 rating.

Despite Carlson's strong play, the Capitals are currently on the outside looking in when it comes to the Eastern Conference playoff picture.

With 69 points, Washington is four points behind the Boston Bruins for the second and final wild-card spot, and six points behind the New York Islanders for the No. 3 seed in the Metropolitan Division.

The Bruins have two games in hand on the Capitals, so chasing down the Isles may be more realistic given that they have played the same number of games as Washington.

Anaheim is in a much better spot as it relates to the playoffs, though, as the Ducks are second in the Western Conference's Pacific Division with 71 points, just one game behind the Vegas Golden Knights for the top spot in the division.

The Ducks are looking to make the playoffs for the first time since 2018, and Carlson is the type of battle-tested veteran who can help them on the postseason stage.

Anaheim already has a strong defensive corps with Jackson Lacombe, Jacob Trouba, Olen Zellweger, Radko Gudas and Pavel Mintyukov, but Carlson rounds it out and gives the Ducks arguably the most complete group of defensemen in the NHL.

As for Carlson, the trade gives him a better chance to contend for a Cup this season before hitting free agency during the offseason.