Moving into 2026 as a restricted free agent, 21-year-old Leo Carlsson received an offer sheet from the Philadelphia Flyers on July 3. However, according to brothers Brady and Matthew Tkachuk, the offer is underpaid even though it surpassed Kirill Kaprizov’s offer.

According to NHL.com, the contract is for five years and worth $90 million, with $18 million average annual value. But on the July 8 episode of Wingmen with Matthew and Brady Tkachuk podcast, Florida Panthers left wing believes Carlsson deserves more.

“So for him, $18 million, it's not an overpay whatsoever. He is unbelievable, he comes as advertised,” said Brady. “18 million is probably going to be underpaid. That's how good this player is. He is so fun to watch.”

“Yeah, for sure,” agreed Matthew.

Marco Normandin of Habsolument Fan reported that the Anaheim Ducks are expected to announce later this week that they have matched the offer sheet, keeping Carlsson for the next five seasons at $18 million annually.

But what makes Brady feel so? Once eligible for new contracts, San Jose Sharks’ Macklin Celebrini and Chicago Blackhawks Connor Bedard could surpass the value of Carlsson's deal.

For the Ducks its a high-pressure situation. After all, at $18 million per year, the second overall in the 2023 NHL Draft would become the highest-paid player in the entire league. So far, it was Kaprizov's $17 million annual salary with the Minnesota Wild.

Last season marked a career year for Carlsson, who tallied 29 goals, 38 assists, and 67 points across 70 regular-season games with the Ducks before contributing 11 points in 12 playoff contests.

Now, if the Ducks refuse to match the total, it could reshape NHL free agency.

The historic nature of Leo Carlsson’s contract

As reported by Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet, reports indicate the Ducks spoke with Carlsson's representatives just hours before the offer sheet surfaced. 

Anaheim's offer was reportedly in the $12 million to $13 million range, while several teams believed Carlsson's camp was targeting approximately $15 million.

By letting go of Carlsson, the Ducks will receive Philadelphia’s next four first-round draft picks in return. However, in the process, the player becomes part of a rare group. 

“I believe only once in the cap era has a player in his fourth season had the highest salary in the league,” wrote Friedman. “That was Mitch Marner, $16 million in 2019-20. Including his bonus, Carlsson will be at $21 million next season. That’s gobsmacking.”

This trend could widen the pay gap between star players and role players. Now teams are spending more on top talent and filling the rest of the roster with younger, cheaper players.

What do you think of Carlsson’s offer? Let us know in the comments. 

Read more at NHL Fan Central. 

Written by

Soheli Tarafdar

Edited by

Soheli Tarafdar