The Anaheim Ducks have matched the Philadelphia Flyers’ offer sheet tendered to Leo Carlsson, signing the forward to a five-year, $90 million contract. The deal has an average annual value of $18 million, making Carlsson the highest-paid player in NHL history.
Contract Details
Carlsson, 21, will officially become the league’s highest-paid player per season, $1 million above Minnesota Wild star forward Kirill Kaprizov. The contract cannot be traded for at least one year, and Carlsson will be an unrestricted free agent when it expires in 2031.
“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.”
Team Reaction
Carlsson finished his entry-level contract that paid him $950,000 annually. He recorded career highs in goals (29), assists (38), and points (67) in 70 games last season. The Ducks announced the decision Thursday, one day ahead of the deadline. If the Ducks opted against matching the contract, they would have received four first-round draft picks from the Flyers as compensation.
Original reporting: Appleton, WI News Feed (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
