PHILADELPHIA — The Philadelphia Flyers have made a bold move in the NHL offseason, submitting a five-year, $90 million offer sheet to Anaheim Ducks center Leo Carlsson. The deal would pay Carlsson $18 million annually — the highest per-season salary since the NHL’s salary cap era kicked off in 2005.
The offer sheet was formally tendered on Friday, triggering a seven-day window for the Anaheim Ducks to exercise their right of first refusal under the NHL’s collective bargaining agreement. If the Ducks choose not to match, the Flyers would be required to send four first-round draft picks to Anaheim — one in each of the next four seasons.
This marks the first time Philadelphia has pursued a player through an offer sheet in 14 years. Back then, the Flyers — under different management — extended a 14-year, $110 million offer sheet to Nashville defenseman Shea Weber. The Predators ultimately matched that deal and kept Weber.
Carlsson, 21, put together an impressive 2024-25 regular season, recording 29 goals and 38 assists for 67 points in 70 games. He continued that strong play into the postseason, tallying 11 points across 12 playoff games as Anaheim advanced to the second round.
The Swedish-born center, a native of Karlstad, Sweden, stands 6-foot-3 and weighs 208 pounds. He was selected by Anaheim with the second overall pick in the 2023 NHL Draft. Over his NHL career, Carlsson has accumulated 141 points — 61 goals and 80 assists — in 201 regular-season games.
For context on where this contract fits historically, the Minnesota Wild signed Kirill Kaprizov last September to an eight-year, $136 million extension — the richest deal in NHL history. Kaprizov’s $17 million annual cap hit beginning next season surpasses Carlsson’s proposed salary, as well as Edmonton’s Leon Draisaitl, who signed an eight-year, $112 million deal averaging $14 million per year. Alex Ovechkin’s 13-year, $124 million contract with Washington, signed back in 2008, previously held the record for highest total contract value.
