Overview
- The Anaheim Ducks matched Philadelphia’s five-year, $92 million offer sheet for restricted free agent Leo Carlsson, keeping him under contract with Anaheim.
- The contract was structured with large guaranteed signing bonuses and will carry about an $18 million average annual cap hit that begins in the 2026–27 season.
- Coach Joel Quenneville publicly praised GM Pat Verbeek’s handling of the situation and said he is happy Carlsson was retained, while Carlsson said the move has moved the market for young players.
- The match has already created roster strain for the Ducks, who waived veteran Chris Kreider and still have restricted free agent Cutter Gauthier unsigned, increasing pressure to find cap space.
- Offer sheets let other teams present contracts that the original club can match, and analysts say this deal both raised pay expectations for young stars and will likely push Anaheim toward trades or long-term injured reserve moves to manage the cap.