The Philadelphia Flyers made a bold move Friday, announcing they have extended a five-year, $90 million offer sheet to Anaheim Ducks center Leo Carlsson — a deal that would make him the highest-paid player in the entire league.
At $18 million in average annual salary, Carlsson’s potential earnings would surpass those of Minnesota Wild forward Kirill Kaprizov, who last September signed an eight-year, $136 million contract extension. Kaprizov’s deal, worth an average of $17 million per season beginning next year, had stood as the richest in league history since the NHL’s salary cap era kicked off in 2005.
Now it’s Anaheim’s move. The Ducks have a seven-day window to decide whether they want to match Philadelphia’s offer and keep Carlsson on their roster. If they pass on matching the deal and allow the 21-year-old to head to Philadelphia, they will receive one first-round draft pick from the Flyers in each of the next four seasons as compensation.
Carlsson, a native of Karlstad, Sweden, was selected second overall in the 2023 NHL Draft and jumped directly into the professional ranks. In 201 regular-season games with the Ducks, he has racked up 61 goals and 80 assists.
Last season alone, Carlsson posted 67 points — including 29 goals and 38 assists — across 70 regular-season games, finishing with a plus-4 rating. He also showed up when it mattered most, contributing four goals and seven assists over 12 games during the 2026 Stanley Cup playoffs.
