Photo Credit: NHL.com
The Anaheim Ducks have officially matched (or declined) the Flyers’ offer sheet for Leo Carlsson.
Quick Context:
- On July 3, 2026, the Flyers tendered a 5-year, $90 million offer sheet to the restricted free agent Carlsson ($18M AAV, the highest in the NHL, heavily front-loaded with ~$85.3M in signing bonuses).
- Philadelphia would have sent Anaheim four first-round picks (2027–2030). dailyfaceoff.com
- The Ducks have 7 days to match (deadline ~July 10). They previously stated they would match any offer sheet for Carlsson and have substantial cap space (~$35M projected before other signings).
Current Status and Likely Outcome
Most analysts expected the Ducks to match, as Carlsson is their young franchise center (2nd overall pick in 2023, breakout 29G/67P in 70GP + strong playoffs in 2025-26). Letting him walk for picks would be a major setback for a contending team.
- This makes Carlsson the NHL’s highest-paid player by AAV.
- Significantly tighten Anaheim’s cap (leaving limited room for other RFAs like Cutter Gauthier and Pavel Mintyukov).
- This keeps him in Anaheim through 2030-31 (UFA after).
This has been a major storyline in the 2026 offseason, shaking up salary expectations league-wide.
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