- John Carlson called signing with the Lightning a “slam dunk” with “zero drawback”
- The 36-year-old inked a two-year, $17 million deal ($8.5M AAV) in his first trip to free agency
- Read below for Carlson’s full comments, the presser video and how GM Julien BriseBois got it done
John Carlson has been to free agency exactly once, and he already sounds like a man without a single regret.
The veteran defenseman signed a two-year, $17 million deal with the Lightning on Wednesday, worth an $8.5 million average annual value. Asked Thursday what made Tampa Bay the fit after 17-plus seasons tied to Washington, he didn’t hedge.
“From that standpoint that’s a slam dunk,” Carlson said. “I think it’s a fabulous place to live, raise kids and have a family in a great environment. There’s really zero drawback to coming to Tampa.”
The whole thing was new territory for a guy heading into his 18th NHL season. Carlson talked about what it felt like to actually hit the open market for the first time.
“It was different,” Carlson said. “It was certainly something I never had to embark on, which in some ways I’m very thankful for, but it’s cool in a lot of ways too. It’s cool to hear the chatter and answer some calls and figure some stuff out.”
Watch Carlson’s full introductory press conference:
Julien BriseBois moved fast once Carlson became available at noon on Canada Day. The Lightning GM laid out how quickly it all came together.
“He hit free agency at noon and we made contact,” BriseBois said. “He was weighing different options all through Canada Day. He called me late last night and told me that he was going to Tampa. That was great news.”
Tampa had a hole to fill on the right side. Darren Raddysh, who led Bolts defensemen with 70 points last season, signed an eight-year deal with Toronto in a June sign-and-trade, and BriseBois wanted a puck-mover who could run a power play.
“John Carlson is a potential free agent, and this is his profile,” BriseBois said. “You didn’t need to be a hockey genius to see this could be a really good match.”
The road to Tampa took a couple of stops. Washington dealt Carlson to Anaheim in March, then Carolina sent a pick and a prospect to the Ducks for his rights in late June before he chose the Bolts in free agency.
Carlson brings 785 career points, fifth-most among United States-born defensemen in league history, into a room that still expects to compete for a Cup. He’s 36 now, and he gets two years to chase one in a place he swears has no downside.
