While it remains uncertain when John Carlson will have a new contract, the defenseman made it clear to The Washington Post Tuesday that he’s not worried about getting a deal in place.
“That’s not my job,” Carlson, a restricted free agent, said after an on-ice workout with a few teammates at KCI.
Although there is no official deadline for the Capitals to sign Carlson, 22, the timeline of the NHL’s labor negotiations can play a part. The league’s current collective bargaining agreement expires on Sept. 15. If Carlson is not signed before that date, the two sides will have to wait until a new CBA is in place before working out a contract.
At this point, though, Carlson didn’t express any concern that things wouldn’t be ironed out eventually.
“I love Washington, I love being here. I stayed here for a lot of the summer,” Carlson said. “I like my teammates, I like the rink, I like the fans. I can’t imagine playing anywhere else.”