Sports
Natick Native John Carlson Named to U.S. Men's Olympic Hockey Team
Local defenseman currently plays for the Washington Capitals.
Washington Capitals defenseman John Carlson, a 23-year-old native of Natick, was named to the U.S. men's Olympic hockey team.
The announcement came at the conclusion of Wednesday's Winter Classic in Ann Arbor, Mich.
The 2014 Winter Olympics will be played in Sochi, Russia.
Carlson has played all 40 games for the Caps this season and has taken over Mike Green’s role as the team’s top defenseman, logging a team-high 24:41 per game and facing the NHL’s most explosive players, according to Comcast Sportsnet.
The 6-foot-3, 212-pound defenseman ranks tied for fifth among NHL defensemen in goals this season (7), first among Washington skaters in blocked shots (83) and average ice time (24:41) and second on the team in shots (107), according to an online report. In the last two seasons, Carlson ranks third in goals (13) among NHL defensemen born in the United States, trailing only Keith Yandle (16) and Dustin Byfluglien (15). In 274 career NHL games with Washington, Carlson has tallied 112 points (30 goals, 82 assists) and a plus-26 rating.
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He was drafted by the Capitals in the first round, 27th overall, in the 2008 NHL Entry Draft.
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