John Carlson has the potential to become a very popular player among Lightning fans.
After moving on from Darren Raddysh this off-season, the Tampa Bay Lightning responded by signing veteran defenseman John Carlson to a two-year contract.
The Lightning's decision to sign Carlson is entirely understandable. Like Raddysh, Carlson is a skilled offensive defenseman who should boost the Lightning's blueline.
Carlson's stats from this past season show that he is still plenty capable of making a real impact at this point in his career. In 71 games split between the Washington Capitals and Anaheim Ducks, the 36-year-old defenseman posted 14 goals, 46 assists, and 60 points.
With Carlson being an impactful defenseman who is also well-respected for his leadership skills, it is clear that he has the potential to become a favorite for Lightning fans.
Carlson has the tools to be a real difference-maker for the Lightning this season. He is still a very good defenseman at this stage of his career, and it is going to be very interesting to see what he can do during his first year as a Bolt from here.
In 1,159 career NHL games over 17 seasons, Carlson has recorded 170 goals, 615 assists, 785 points, and a plus-112 rating. It will be intriguing to see how much he can improve upon these career stats with the Bolts during his deal.
