Chris Patrick explains how John Carlson's late-night trade to the Ducks went down and why it was as 'respectful as possible'

"I think for us that first-round pick is potentially a really good pick, and we can use it to try to add something, or we can use it to get a good player. We weren't going to [trade John] for just anything, for sure."

"I wasn't totally naive to the fact that this was a possibility. I think that when it happens, it feels a lot different than when it's speculated or when you're thinking that it could be a possibility. Some tough moments with the family, but I'm looking forward to a new beginning and a great team and a great situation to be in."

"talks with the Ducks moved fairly quickly. We definitely had some back-and-forth. We had a couple different types of deals on the table depending on if they felt like they could talk to him to do an extension or not."

The Washington Capitals executed five trades at the NHL deadline, with the most significant being the trade of defenseman John Carlson to the Anaheim Ducks. In return, Washington received a first-round pick in either 2026 or 2027 and a third-round pick in 2027. General manager Chris Patrick emphasized the value of the first-round pick, stating it could be used to add talent or acquire a good player. Negotiations with Anaheim moved quickly with multiple deal structures discussed depending on extension possibilities. The trade was completed at midnight Friday and announced after 1 am ET. While Carlson was generally aware the team was exploring offers, he was not involved in specific negotiations. Extension talks had ended weeks earlier as the Capitals' standings declined.

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