Anaheim Ducks
Leo Carlsson Says Players Are Thanking Him, But His New Deal Came at a Cost
Leo Carlsson spoke about his new contract and how players are thanking him for signing it. It also comes at a cost and the loss of a teammate.
Leo Carlsson didn’t just cash in this summer — he changed the game for everyone else, too. Speaking with the media on Wednesday, Carlsson was asked about his offer sheet, new extension in Anaheim, and the domino effect that it caused.
The Ducks star’s 5-year, $80 million offer sheet sent shockwaves through the league in the offseason, and NHL contracts haven’t stopped climbing since. Carlsson understands the ripple effect that deal has had, if for no other reason than NHL players are telling him. “Players are thanking me,” he said recently, acknowledging the new market he helped create.
But that shift hasn’t come without a cost.
Carlsson was asked about the Ducks’ decision to place Chris Kreider on waivers in an effort eventually terminate his contract and free up cap space. It’s a move the Ducks had little choice but to make and a direct consequence of the league’s new financial landscape. “Chris, he’s leaving, but he’s also really happy for me, as well,” Carlsson said. “It’s a hard business.”
Now the ripple effect may be about to hit Anaheim again.
Related: A Shocking Split: Kreider Leaves Millions Behind to Bail Out the Ducks
Once Kreider is either picked up or clears and his contract is terminated, teammate Cutter Gauthier is reportedly likely to sign a new contract. According to Elliotte Friedman, it’s shaping up to be significant. “I had heard some rumors of some progress,” Friedman said, “but it’s gonna be a big number… a really, really big number.”
The question now is how far the Ducks are willing to go to keep their core group intact — and whether Carlsson’s market-shaking deal ends up reshaping his own locker room even further before it’s all said and done.
The next few weeks could reveal just how much one contract can change everything. Will the Ducks be headed towards a cap hell? Or, will they be just fine and a better team with their young stars locked in on big-money deals?
Next: The NHL’s New Problem: Depth Players Are Getting Expensive
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