Ducks match Flyers’ offer sheet to retain Leo Carlsson
The Anaheim Ducks have officially matched the Philadelphia Flyers’ offer sheet for center Leo Carlsson, signing him to a five-year deal with an annual average value of $18 million.
The AAV is the highest in NHL history, surpassing Kirill Kaprizov’s $17 million AAV that officially went into effect earlier this month.
Five more years of LEO! nhl.com/ducks/news/duc…
Carlsson was a restricted free agent after the conclusion of his three-year entry-level contract with a $950,000 cap hit.
The Swedish center is coming off his best season to date. He emerged as a top-line center in the NHL with 29 goals and 38 assists for 67 points in 70 games. Carlsson followed that up with four goals and seven assists for 11 points in 12 playoff games.
Anaheim now finds itself in a tricky contract situation. While signing Carlsson was a must, given he’s one of the team’s top stars, the team needs to decide what to do about forward Cutter Gauthier’s next deal. The restricted free agent had 41 goals and 69 points in his NHL sophomore season, leading the club in both goals and total points.
The Ducks have just $9.073 million in projected cap space, according to Puckpedia. The team has primarily handed out signings to depth players this summer, but the $4.25 million cap hit for A.J. Greer doesn’t leave the Ducks much wiggle room. Pavel Mintyukov’s new deal with an AAV of $7.2 million is also set to begin this season.
Troy Terry ($7 million AAV) is set to miss the start of the NHL season after undergoing hip surgery. A potential Frank Vatrano trade ($4.57 million until 2028) could open up some avenues for the club, as well.
The Ducks qualified for the playoffs in 2025-26 after finishing seventh in the Western Conference with 43 wins and 92 points. The club was knocked out following a second-round defeat by the Vegas Golden Knights.
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