John Carlson has provided Ducks with veteran puck-mover

One of Orange County’s newest residents has made a notable impact right away.

One of the most newsworthy moves ahead of the NHL Trade Deadline earlier this month was the Anaheim Ducks going out and acquiring defenseman John Carlson from the Washington Capitals. It marked the first time that Carlson left the U.S. capital, with the hopes that he would get the team over the hump and back into the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the first time in eight years.

The move has paid immediate dividends. Not only is Carlson providing a significant veteran presence to a relatively younger roster, but he is also contributing by using that puck-moving prowess that he became known for while playing with Alex Ovechkin. In five games, Carlson has registered four assists, giving him a third straight 50-point season.

On Thursday’s edition of Daily Faceoff LIVE, Felix Sicard of Crash The Pond joined Tyler Yaremchuk and Carter Hutton to discuss how Carlson’s presence has benefitted the young and rising team in Anaheim.

Felix Sicard: I think that it’s so interesting because he fits their identity to a tee. I don’t necessarily know if he’s thought of as this really two-way defenseman. He’s always been thought of as an offensive defenseman. He’s really brought that. The puck moving, he’s so aggressive offensively, joining the rush. The first game that he played in, he just activates off the blue line without the puck, goes straight to the net like a forward would. So, that really plays into what the Ducks do. But he brings that steadiness, that patience. He’s one of those defensemen where it never looks like he’s necessarily spending a ton of energy to get around the ice. Yet, he’s getting a ton done. So, yeah, he’s had a huge impact. I think that just having a true veteran puck mover back there has really been good for everybody involved.

You can watch the full segment and entire episode here…