“It’s a dream. I can’t make those decisions,” said NHL star John Carlson in 2013 about playing in the Winter Olympics. After a season full of achievements in 2025 with the Washington Capitals, where he scored 8 goals, added 21 assists, and finished with 29 points, everyone thought he would be part of Team USA’s Olympic roster once more. But now, as NHL insiders have revealed, he is out of the lineup.

Tom Gulitti of NHL.com tweeted on X that Carlson hasn’t been included in the mandatory pre-Olympic drug testing that all Olympic roster candidates must complete. While Team USA’s final 25-man roster is only set to be locked in by December 31, Carlson is definitely out of contention, as the pre-Games testing process occurs over a span of several weeks.

But this omission is shocking given Carlson’s achievements. A veteran of the 2014 Sochi Olympics, he has represented the U.S. at both junior and senior levels, consistently ranking among the country’s top defenders.

Even on X, Gulitti pointed it out: “Not just about points, obviously, John Carlson is third in points (28) and third in assists (21) among U.S. born defensemen behind only Zach Werenski (40 points, 26 assists) and Lane Hutson (43 points, 27 assists). He’s also tied with Jake Sanderson for third in goals with 7.”

Even this season, Carlson’s numbers are top-notch. In 33 games this season, he has 29 points, leads American defensemen in career scoring with 754 points, and recently surpassed NHL legend Mathieu Schneider for fifth on the all-time list.

The decision comes despite Carlson’s experience at both the junior and senior national team levels with the US.

The news even shocked his former Capitals and Team USA teammate TJ Oshie, who tweeted, “I think this is a mistake. 74 would be on my roster in Milan, no question. Also, doesn’t he have a gold medal OT goal against Canada in World Juniors?”

Who can forget that rollercoaster of a final at the 2010 World Juniors that was decided at 5-5 in overtime? The Canadians were dominant; they held home advantage with the final happening in Saskatoon, and Team USA had only won gold once in the tournament’s 33-year-old history (Canada, however, had won the previous five editions).

And yet, despite all the odds, it was Carlson who came in clutch, scoring the winner and his second of the night. So with NHLers barred from the last two Olympics, conventional wisdom would suggest including a productive veteran of Carlson’s caliber.

But for coach Mike Sullivan, it appears John Carlson hasn’t factored into his Olympic roster plans at all, with early signs all pointing to his omission.

John Carlson’s absence from pre-Olympic events

USA Hockey runs a meticulous pre‑Olympics process, designed to evaluate players over several stages before the final roster is announced. One of the earliest and most important steps during this Olympic cycle was the inaugural edition of the 4 Nations Face‑Off, held in February 2025.

Before it, the last time NHLers faced off in an international best-on-best tournament was all the way back at 2016’s World Cup of Hockey. So, the 4 Nations Face-Off was considered a mini-preview for what fans could expect at Milano-Cortina, while coaches could evaluate team synergy, test out various line combos and defensive pairings, and also get a good look at how their rivals were shaping up.

But tellingly enough, Carlson did not make Team USA’s roster despite the stellar season he and the Capitals were enjoying. Still, his exclusion there wasn’t the end.

On August 19, 2025, Team USA held a 44-player Olympic orientation camp in Plymouth, Michigan. Sixteen defensemen were invited, including elite names (some of whom, like Carlson, didn’t make it to 4 Nations), such as Brock Faber, Adam Fox, Quinn Hughes, Charlie McAvoy, Seth Jones, Jake Sanderson, and Zach Werenski. Once again, however, Carlson’s name was omitted.

In the 2014 Winter Olympics, Carlson played six games, recording one goal and one assist. Though his experience with playoff-style hockey would be a huge asset to the team, Team USA has enough firepower to hopefully offset his absence.