Washington Capitals head coach Todd Reirden gathered his players at center ice after practice Monday. They soon erupted in cheers, tapping their sticks on the ice in celebration after being informed Caps defenseman John Carlson was nominated as a finalist for this year’s Norris Trophy, awarded to the NHL’s top defenseman during the regular season.
“It’s an honor for me personally,” Carlson told reporters on a Zoom press conference. “It’s also a cool thing for everyone within your team and organization that has rallied behind you.”
Carlson, an alternate captain of the Capitals, has spent his entire career in Washington since being drafted in 2008.