NHL Rumors

NHL News: Anaheim Ducks Match Leo Carlsson Offer Sheet

Gabriel Arteaga
Gabriel Arteaga
6 Min Read

Originally published by NHLRumors.com

A day after the Utah Mammoth announced they matched the Barrett Hayton Offer Sheet from the New Jersey Devils, the Anaheim Ducks announced they would be matching the Leo Carlsson offer sheet from the Philadelphia Flyers.

Six days ago, the Philadelphia Flyers tendered a five-year, $90 million offer sheet with an $18 million AAV. $85 million of the $90 million will be paid out as signing bonuses. In addition, Carlsson would get $39 million of the $90 million in the first 12 months of the contract.

The Anaheim Ducks Potential Cap Crunch Was Avoidable

It was a brilliant offer sheet put forth by Flyers GM Daniel Briere. However, Ducks GM Pat Verbeek said before the offer sheet was tendered to the Ducks’ number one center, Verbeek told the media that he was going to match any offer sheet coming Carlsson’s way.

Well, Verbeek indeed put his money where his mouth is, as most expected. The word around the league ahead of this decision was that the Ducks would match the offer sheet.

“I think a lot of people around the league anticipate the Ducks matching,” Dave Pagnotta of the Fourth Period said on TSN Radio in Montreal. “The Flyers are preparing for that fact, and I think a lot of people around the league anticipate, as I said, the Ducks matching that.”

“So, listen, I ultimately think Anaheim does match this thing. I think there’s no way that they can’t match this thing,” Anthony Di Marco of Daily Faceoff said on TSN Radio in Montreal

Leo Carlsson’s Offer Sheet is $5-6 Million More Than the Anaheim Ducks Last Offer

Verbeek locked up the player he wanted to select with the No. 2 overall pick and build his franchise around at the 2023 NHL Draft.

“We are very happy to have Leo under contract for five years,” said Ducks General Manager Pat Verbeek. “We have viewed Leo as a franchise player since the moment we met him prior to the 2023 draft. He’s a character person on and off the ice. Leo is viewed as a top player in this league, and it was always our intention to match any offer sheet.”

In 201 regular-season games, Carlsson recorded 141 points (61 goals and 80 assists). In his first taste of playoff action, Carlsson had 11 points (four goals and seven assists) in 12 games. It is clear that Leo Carlsson is a vital part of the Anaheim Ducks organization moving forward.

“Matching the offer sheet was an easy decision, as Pat has intelligently left enough cap space to give us the ability to retain Leo,” said Ducks owners Henry and Susan Samueli. “We have extremely high expectations for Leo. We firmly believe he will continue his strong growth trajectory and become one of the truly elite centers in the league, while continuing to make a strong impact in our community.”

NHL Rumors: How Much Will Leo Carlsson and Cutter Gauthier Make in Anaheim?

As Mammoth GM Bill Armstrong told the media on Wednesday, the offer sheet is a tool in the CBA. There are no hard feelings between the Mammoth and the Devils, and Carlsson told the media there are none between him and management. It is a deal 99% of people would sign.

The Ducks are excited to have Leo Carlsson back in Anaheim. Carlsson is excited to be back in Anaheim. Now the work begins for GM Pat Verbeek. He now has to extend RFA forward Cutter Gauthier and clear cap space to make the new AAV work for the upcoming season.

But there was never any doubt that Verbeek would not match the offer sheet Philadelphia threw his way.

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