NHL star says signing Leo Carlsson at record $18 million a year could end up being a steal
The buzz around the NHL was that the Philadelphia Flyers would step in and offer Anaheim Ducks RFA Leo Carlsson a massive five-year deal with an AAV of $18 million.
That’s a hefty price to pay, and Carlsson will be the league’s highest-paid player whether he goes to Philly or the Ducks game.
However, Florida Panthers star Brady Tkachuk thinks that the person who will take on the 21-year-old center’s $18 million cap hit can make a deal.
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NHL star Brady Tkachuk explained why signing Leo Carlsson (pictured) for a league-record $18 million per year could be a good deal. ((Photo: Nicole Vasquez/NHLI via Getty Images))
Brady and his brother Matthew talked about the Ducks’ offer sheet on the “Wingmen” podcast as the window to match the offer sheet continues to close.
His brother and teammate Matthew Tkachuk also said Brady “wasn’t paying much for 18 million.” “Amazing; sounds as advertised. Eighteen million will probably be underpaid. That’s how good this player is.”
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Newly acquired Florida Panther Brady Tkachuk pointed out why Leo Carlsson is worth every penny of the $18 million a year he is about to receive. (Photo: JC Ruiz/Getty Images)
Tkachuk is probably right, especially as the ceiling continues to rise. Stars like San Jose’s Macklin Celebrini and Chicago’s Connor Bedard could easily pass on Carlsson’s deal once they become eligible for new contracts.
Of course, the Ducks’ issue isn’t whether Carlsson is worth $18 million per year; If GM Pat Verbeek thought it wasn’t, this offer sheet would never have happened. The real question is whether Anaheim has the cap space to match it.
The link created by Flyers GM Danny Briere was that the Ducks’ projected cap space was just under $18 million when the offer sheet arrived. They then re-signed defenseman Pavel Mintyukov, leaving them with around $9 million.
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But they also need to consider extensions of future RFAs Cutter Gauthier and Beckett Sennecke, making pairing with Carlsson not only harder but also riskier.
The Ducks have to make a decision by Friday, and if they don’t comply, they’ll receive a boatload of first-round draft picks from the Flyers as compensation.
