Norris Watch: Washington Capitals Defenseman John Carlson

During the 2019-20 regular season, Washington Capitals defenseman John Carlson led all defensemen in both points and assists and set or tied career highs in every offensive category. Carlson is vying to win his first career Norris Trophy as the NHL's top defenseman and the third in franchise history (Rod Langway: 1982-83 and 1983-84).

• Carlson's 75 points in 69 games this season (15g, 60a) led all defensemen, finishing 10 points ahead of the next highest scoring defenseman (Nashville's Roman Josi: 65 points) and 20 points ahead of the third-highest scoring defenseman (Tampa Bay's Victor Hedman: 55 points).
  - Carlson's 1.09 points per game this year were the highest total by a defenseman since Ray Bourque (Boston), Al MacInnis (Calgary) and Sergei Zubov (New York Rangers) in the 1993-94 season. As the highest scoring defenseman, Bourque won the Norris Trophy that season.
  - Only 13 other defensemen in NHL history have recorded at least 1.09 points per game in a single season after playing 69 games. Nine of the 13 defensemen have won the Norris Trophy in their career.
  - Carlson is the only defenseman this season to average 1.09 points per game. The last time only one defenseman averaged at least 1.09 points per game in a season was Paul Coffey (113 points in 75 games) in 1988-89.

• Carlson was on pace for 89 points over an 82-game season. Only nine defensemen in NHL history have recorded 89 points in a season (Coffey: eight times; Bobby Orr: six times; Bourque: four times; Denis Potvin: three times; MacInnis: twice; Phil Housley, Brian Leetch, Gary Suter and Zubov: each once). His 89 points would have been the highest by a defenseman since Bourque and Zubov in 1993-94 (Bourque: 91 points; Zubov: 89 points).
  - Carlson's 60 assists led all NHL defensemen and ranked fourth among all players in the NHL (Leon Draisaitl: 67; Connor McDavid: 63; Artemi Panarin: 63). He became one of five defensemen to reach the 70 point mark in 59 or fewer games in the last 30 years. Carlson is the first defenseman to rank fourth or better in the NHL in assists in a single season since Hedman in 2016-17.
  - Carlson became the 10th defenseman since 1979-80 to record 60 assists within his first 67 games. Over the last 20 seasons, only three other defensemen have recorded at least 60 assists in a season (Nicklas Lidstrom, twice, 2005-06 and 2007-08: 64 and 60 assists, respectively; Erik Karlsson, 2015-16: 66 assists; Brent Burns, 2018-19: 67 assists). All three players have won the Norris Trophy in their careers.
  - Carlson was on pace for 71 assists prior to the suspension of the season, which would have been the highest total by a defenseman since 1993-94.

• According to The Point powered by SPORT LOGiQ, Carlson ranked second in the NHL in completed stretch passes (258) and third in blocked passes (456).
  - Carlson ranked ahead of Josi in hits per 60 minutes of play (Carlson: 1.94; Josi: 1.75), blocked shots per 60 minutes of play (Carlson: 3.81; Josi: 3.64) and takeaways per 60 minutes of play (Carlson: 1.48; Josi: 1.14).
  - With 75 points this season (15g, 60a), Carlson surpassed his career high in points (previously: 2018-19: 70 points).
  - Carlson's 75 points were the fourth-highest point total by a Capitals defenseman in franchise history, trailing the franchise record set by Larry Murphy in 1986-87 by six points (Murphy: 23g, 58a, 71p), despite having 13 games remain on the schedule prior to the season suspension.
  - Carlson appeared in every game for the Capitals this season, marking the seventh occurrence in his career.
  - Carlson led all defensemen in game-winning goals (6), two shy of the NHL record set by Oliver Ekman-Larsson (Arizona) in 2015-16.
  - Carlson ranked seventh in the NHL in time on ice (1,699:14) and led all defensemen in time on ice per shift (0:58)