==Dec 5, 2025; Anaheim, California, USA; Star of the game Anaheim Ducks center Leo Carlsson (91) on the ice after a win over the Washington Capitals at Honda Center. Mandatory Credit: Griffin Hooper-Imagn Images
==Dec 5, 2025; Anaheim, California, USA; Star of the game Anaheim Ducks center Leo Carlsson (91) on the ice after a win over the Washington Capitals at Honda Center. Mandatory Credit: Griffin Hooper-Imagn Images
In a massive development in the NHL, Leo Carlsson received an offer sheet valued at $90 million for a five-year contract from the Philadelphia Flyers on Friday, July 3. Since the 21-year-old forward was a part of the Anaheim Ducks last season before becoming a restricted free agent (RFA), they have the right to first refusal on him.
Amidst all that, NHL insider Elliotte Friedman detailed the negotiations between the Ducks and Carlsson regarding a new contract. He wrote about it in a report published in Sportsnet on July 3, just after the offer sheet worth $18 million average annual value (AAV) from the Flyers dropped.
“According to several sources, the Ducks and Carlsson’s representatives held a call hours before the offer sheet dropped. Anaheim’s offer was believed to be between $12-$13 million,” he wrote.
Oct 11, 2025; San Jose, California, USA; Anaheim Ducks head coach Joel Quenneville (back left) and assistant coach Jay Woodcroft (back right) stand behind the bench during the overtime against the San Jose Sharks at SAP Center at San Jose. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images
Oct 11, 2025; San Jose, California, USA; Anaheim Ducks head coach Joel Quenneville (back left) and assistant coach Jay Woodcroft (back right) stand behind the bench during the overtime against the San Jose Sharks at SAP Center at San Jose. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images
As per Section 10.3 of the NHL collective bargaining agreement, the Ducks have a total of seven days until July 10 to match the number on the offer sheet. If they decide against it, then they will receive four first-round draft picks from the Flyers as compensation.
Regardless of whether Carlsson goes to Philadelphia or stays in Anaheim, he is set to become the highest-paid player in the NHL. Kirill Kaprizov of Russia is currently the highest-paid player in the league after signing a $17 million AAV contract for eight years in September 2025, totalling $136 million.
Notably, before Carlsson became an RFA at the end of last season, he was signed on a three-year, entry-level contract with the Ducks worth $4.2 million AAV, totalling $12.6 million. The Swede put pen to paper on July 12, 2023, shortly after they selected him as the No. 2 pick in the 2023 NHL Draft.
After that, Carlsson performed exemplarily well for the Ducks in the last three seasons, helping them make the Stanley Cup Playoffs in the recently concluded 2025-26 season.
Leo Carlsson’s NHL career at the Anaheim Ducks: A brief breakdown
Leo Carlsson, who hails from Karlstad, Sweden, grew into his role as a forward at the Anaheim Ducks and produced improved numbers season after season.
During the 2023-24 season, his first in Anaheim, Carlsson managed to score 29 points (12G / 17A), as per NHL.com. His 12 goals tied him to the all-time record for most goals scored by a teenager at the Ducks, which previously belonged to Stanislav Chistov from the 2002-03 season.
He bettered his numbers from his debut season by producing 45 points for 20 goals and 25 assists in 76 regular-season games in the 2024-25 season.
In the 2025-26 season, which ended last month, Carlsson produced his career-high numbers: 67 points (29G / 38A) after playing 70 games.
Following that, in his 12 appearances in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, he got 11 points (4G / 7A) for the Ducks across the first two rounds of the Western Conference.
After defeating the Edmonton Oilers in six games in the first round, the Ducks lost in the second round in six games to the eventual finalists, the Vegas Golden Knights.
Will the Anaheim Ducks match the offer sheet from the Philadelphia Flyers for Leo Carlsson after his consistent uptick in numbers? Give us your prediction in the comments.
Written by
Arjun Sharma
Edited by
Suyashdeep Sason