Anaheim acquired defenseman Kyle Masters and the 192nd overall pick.
The writing appeared to be on the wall when it came to John Carlson leaving the Ducks via free agency, but it was confirmed on Saturday afternoon after they traded Carlson’s rights to the Carolina Hurricanes in exchange for defenseman Kyle Masters and the 192nd overall pick in the 2026 NHL Draft. The Ducks used that pick to select forward Noah Kostick from the Seattle Thunderbirds in the WHL.
Carlson was acquired this past March from the Washington Capitals and after a delayed debut due to a lingering lower-body injury that he suffered prior to the trade, he played in 16 regular season games for the Ducks. He scored his first professional hat trick on Apr. 9 against the San Jose Sharks and arguably helped the Ducks reach the playoffs for the first time since 2018.
He helped solidify the right side of the Ducks’ defense behind Jacob Trouba and contributed well during their Round 1 series against the Edmonton Oilers. However, he did not fare as well in Round 2 against the Vegas Golden Knights’ suffocating forecheck and stingy penalty kill.
Following the conclusion of the Ducks 2025-26 season after their Round 2 loss to the Golden Knights, reports began to surface that Carlson was seeking a return to the East Coast. Eventually, Carlson’s agent, Rick Curran, confirmed that Carlson would not be returning to the Ducks.
Saturday’s trade helps Ducks general manager Pat Verbeek recoup a small amount of value for Carlson after initially trading a first-round pick and a third-round pick for him.
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