Defenseman John Carlson (No. 74) scored his 200th NHL point Thursday when the Caps faced the Boston Bruins. John, often considered one of the most underrated D’s in the league, is one of the most consistent Caps players, averaging 36.6 points per season since his rookie season in 2010. Carlson sets the bar high for the team—not only is he a powerhouse on the ice; this Jersey boy has not missed a game since appearing in his first NHL game in 2009.

According to the Caps bio on Carlson, he began playing hockey at the tender age of five, following in his dad’s footsteps who played Division III hockey. Drafted by the Capitals in 2008, Carlson spent his first year driving between the DC and Hershey. Carlson, along with Karl Alzner and Jay Beagle was a member of the 2008/09 Calder Cup winning Hershey Bears, scoring two goals and an assist during the series. He took to the ice with the Caps in November 2009 racking up six points in 22 games and scoring his first NHL goal against the Carolina Hurricanes in March 2010. There has been no stopping Carly who clearly has earned his place as one of the most influential players on the team.

Averaging a point a game this year, Carlson is on track to meet or beat the 55 points he tallied during the 2014/15 season—his highest to date. He currently ranks as the fifth highest scoring defenseman in the league. With his 200th point under his belt, Carlson has now scored an NHL career 47 goals for his team. ESPN projects that Carlson could actually crank out 82 points this year. Whatever happens, there is little doubt that John Carlson is key to the Caps and as a high scoring, hard hitting defenseman, is another reasons fans believe the Caps are closer to bringing home the Stanley Cup in 2016 .

by Maggie Marcum

References:

ESPN Player Statistics: http://espn.go.com/nhl/player/_/id/5118/john-carlson

Washington Capitals Player Statistics: http://capitals.nhl.com/club/player.htm?id=8474590