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Flyers general manager Daniel Briere made a big swing for a No. 1 center but came up empty when the Anaheim Ducks matched the Philadelphia Flyers' five-year, $90 million offer sheet to Leo Carlsson, keeping the rising star and creating a little bit of a cap squeeze for Anaheim.
The $18 million average annual value on the offer sheet makes Carlsson, 21, the highest-paid player in the NHL, passing the $17 million for Minnesota Wild star Kirill Kaprizov. The Flyers would have owed the Ducks four first-round picks if they had not matched.
Here's what to know about the Ducks matching the Flyers' offer sheet:
Ducks GM Pat Verbeek is known for hardball negotiations and Mason McTavish and other restricted free agents didn't sign until training camp. But the general manager said he tried to get something done before July 1 and thought he was been slow-walked to the beginning of free agency.
Briere released the following statement through the team on Friday, July 10.
“We understood this outcome was possible when we made the offer. While the result isn't what we hoped for, our goal does not change - we remain committed to pursuing every opportunity that will strengthen our team and continue to build towards becoming a consistent and perennial contender without sacrificing our future."
Do the Flyers have anymore bullets in the chamber to make a run at another star, first-line center? Dylan Larkin, 29, of the Detroit Red Wings has been talked about. Mathew Barzal of the New York Islanders is also reportedly discussed but seems a long shot to join the Flyers.
The amount of the offer surprised Verbeek and he said it will change how things are handled with restricted free agents.
The Flyers have two upcoming salary arbitration hearings. Forward Trevor Zegras and defenseman Jamie Drysdale, acquired in separate trades from the Ducks, have filed. Hearings start July 20, though no specific days have been assigned and teams can negotiate with players beforehand. Zegras averaged $5.75 million in his last deal and Drysdale averaged $2.3 million..
“We are very happy to have Leo under contract for five years,” Verbeek said in a statement. “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.”
From Ducks owners Henry and Susan Samueli: “Matching the offer sheet was an easy decision, as Pat has intelligently left enough cap space to give us the ability to retain Leo. 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.”
The Flyers' offer sheet was structured to make Carlsson's payouts mostly signing bonuses. Here are the details:
Carlsson was the No. 2 overall pick of the 2023 NHL Draft behind Chicago's Connor Bedard. He had a breakthrough 67 points in 70 games last season. He was named to the Swedish Olympic team but wasn't able to play because of a leg injury.
In his first three years, he has 141 points in 201 games.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Flyers lose out on center Leo Carlsson, Ducks match massive offer sheet
Continue reading...
The $18 million average annual value on the offer sheet makes Carlsson, 21, the highest-paid player in the NHL, passing the $17 million for Minnesota Wild star Kirill Kaprizov. The Flyers would have owed the Ducks four first-round picks if they had not matched.
Here's what to know about the Ducks matching the Flyers' offer sheet:
Ducks GM Pat Verbeek is known for hardball negotiations and Mason McTavish and other restricted free agents didn't sign until training camp. But the general manager said he tried to get something done before July 1 and thought he was been slow-walked to the beginning of free agency.
What did the Flyers say?
Briere released the following statement through the team on Friday, July 10.
“We understood this outcome was possible when we made the offer. While the result isn't what we hoped for, our goal does not change - we remain committed to pursuing every opportunity that will strengthen our team and continue to build towards becoming a consistent and perennial contender without sacrificing our future."
Do the Flyers have anymore bullets in the chamber to make a run at another star, first-line center? Dylan Larkin, 29, of the Detroit Red Wings has been talked about. Mathew Barzal of the New York Islanders is also reportedly discussed but seems a long shot to join the Flyers.
The amount of the offer surprised Verbeek and he said it will change how things are handled with restricted free agents.
What's next for the Philadelphia Flyers
The Flyers have two upcoming salary arbitration hearings. Forward Trevor Zegras and defenseman Jamie Drysdale, acquired in separate trades from the Ducks, have filed. Hearings start July 20, though no specific days have been assigned and teams can negotiate with players beforehand. Zegras averaged $5.75 million in his last deal and Drysdale averaged $2.3 million..
What the Anaheim Ducks said
“We are very happy to have Leo under contract for five years,” Verbeek said in a statement. “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.”
From Ducks owners Henry and Susan Samueli: “Matching the offer sheet was an easy decision, as Pat has intelligently left enough cap space to give us the ability to retain Leo. 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.”
Leo Carlsson contract details
The Flyers' offer sheet was structured to make Carlsson's payouts mostly signing bonuses. Here are the details:
Leo Carlsson stats
Carlsson was the No. 2 overall pick of the 2023 NHL Draft behind Chicago's Connor Bedard. He had a breakthrough 67 points in 70 games last season. He was named to the Swedish Olympic team but wasn't able to play because of a leg injury.
In his first three years, he has 141 points in 201 games.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Flyers lose out on center Leo Carlsson, Ducks match massive offer sheet
Continue reading...
