Leo Carlsson is staying in Anaheim. The Ducks matched the five-year, $90 million offer sheet the Philadelphia Flyers had signed with the 21-year-old center, keeping the 2023 No. 2 overall pick on the roster. By matching, Anaheim also spared the Flyers from having to surrender four first-round picks as compensation.
Carlsson had signed the offer sheet but said publicly that he hoped the Ducks would match. According to Yahoo Sports, he said, "It was kind of an offer that 99 percent of everyone would sign. It changed my family and all, too. ... I always wanted to be here, too. I really hoped they would match."
The deal makes Carlsson the highest-paid player in the NHL, with an average annual value of $18 million. That is a significant jump from his entry-level contract, which paid him $950,000 per year. Ducks owners Henry and Susan Samueli face an immediate signing bonus of nearly $20 million under the terms of the offer sheet.
The match does carry financial consequences for Anaheim. The deal could affect the team's salary cap flexibility going forward. General manager Pat Verbeek acknowledged that he left the team exposed to the offer sheet by not getting Carlsson signed before July 1, saying he believed Carlsson's representation was slow-walking negotiations toward that date.
Despite the cap implications, the Ducks are building around Carlsson. Verbeek said he believes Carlsson will continue his path to becoming an elite player. The 21-year-old posted 67 points in his third NHL season.
The Carlsson deal is expected to have ripple effects across the league. San Jose Sharks center Macklin Celebrini, who recorded a team-record 115 points in his second season, has one year left on his contract and could command even more. Chicago Blackhawks star Connor Bedard, currently injured, also needs a new contract before the 2026-27 season begins. Top defensemen Quinn Hughes and Cale Makar can sign extensions before becoming unrestricted free agents next summer.
The rising salary cap has already been pushing player salaries upward. The Carlsson offer sheet accelerates that trend at the top end of the market. Connor McDavid, who has two years remaining on his current deal, could be looking at a contract worth $20 million or more when he next negotiates.
Restricted free agents around the league may point to the Carlsson deal when arguing for more money, though general managers are expected to push back, calling the offer sheet an extraordinary circumstance rather than a new baseline.
