Capitals defenseman John Carlson is the premier free agent defenseman. If he leaves the Capitals, someone will get a right-handed shot, big-game defenseman coming off his best season and a Stanley Cup. He’s going to get paid. Probably overpaid, but that’s the price of doing business on July 1.



“Win a Cup and have your career year in your contract year, it doesn’t get much better than that,” said an NHL source.



And only one team is going to get him, despite plenty of potential suitors. On Tuesday, an NHL source confirmed with The Athletic that the Coyotes have a deal in place to keep Oliver Ekman-Larsson in the desert long-term. TSN’s Darren Dreger was the first to report that Ekman-Larsson is expected to sign an eight-year deal worth $8.25 million per season.



That removes a big piece from the 2019 free agent class, one many in hockey were convinced would be available. Factor in the expectation that Drew Doughty likely...