The Ducks are making one thing clear: if an offer sheet comes their way for Leo Carlsson, they’re ready to match it.
Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reported that Anaheim has already told some teams it would match any offer sheet for the 21-year-old center. The Ducks also kept their free-agent activity modest on purpose, leaving themselves the cap room to handle that kind of move.
Carlsson’s value has surged after his best NHL season yet in 2025-26. He scored 29 goals and added 38 assists in 70 games, a big step forward for the player selected second overall in 2023.
He’s tracking toward the kind of all-around top-center role the Ducks envisioned, and that means the next contract is likely to be a major one - max term and a double-digit AAV. By signaling that it will match, Anaheim is trying to keep control of the process and set the terms itself.
That kind of situation can stretch negotiations deep into the summer.
Elsewhere, the Flames made a strong run at Mason McTavish before he stayed in Anaheim. Sportsnet’s Eric Francis reported that Calgary put together a serious pitch last week, but it couldn’t top St.
Louis’ offer of the 15th and 29th overall picks. Calgary held the sixth pick and wasn’t going to include that, and while it also had the 30th selection, it couldn’t match the value of No.
- The Flames had already moved multiple picks to bring in Simon Nemec, and this wasn’t about accelerating the rebuild.
It was about adding younger players who can grow into their prime as Calgary comes out of it - exactly the type of fit McTavish would have been.
And on the free-agent market, Georgii Merkulov is still waiting on an NHL opportunity. Mark Divver of the New England Hockey Journal reported that the unrestricted free-agent forward has interest overseas, but he’s hoping to land an NHL contract instead.
The 25-year-old has appeared in 11 games for Boston over the last three seasons and has one assist. In the minors, though, he’s been productive, averaging 60 points per season over the last three years with AHL Providence.
That should make him a candidate for a two-way deal somewhere, especially since he doesn’t count toward veteran status in the AHL yet.
In Other News...
Ducks Add Another Low-Cost Blue Line Option Fans Will Debate
The Ducks kept adding to their organizational blue line depth this week, joining a wave of minor league free-agent activity around the league. Anaheim signed defenseman Travis Mitchell to a one-year, two-way contract, a low-cost move that fits the kind of depth shopping teams often do at this stage of the calendar as they try to shore up both the NHL roster and the AHL pipeline.
Mitchell is coming off a season that included his NHL debut, while he spent most of the year with Bridgeport and produced 1 goal and 17 points in 58 games with a plus-3 rating. For Anaheim, the appeal is obvious: another inexpensive option on defense, another body for the organization, and another name that could end up in the mix if injuries or call-ups start to thin out the back end. [Read more 🡒]
Former Ducks Veteran Already Found His Next NHL Home
John Carlsons time in Anaheim was brief, but the veteran defenseman still left the Ducks with a reminder of why teams keep betting on him. After arriving from Washington at the trade deadline and finishing last season in Orange County, the 36-year-old brought the kind of steady production and experience that can still matter on a blue line, even as his career has already spanned well over 1,100 games.
Now Carlson has a new landing spot, and it comes with real commitment from a contender. Tampa Bay signed the unrestricted free agent to a two-year deal worth $17 million, a sign the Lightning see him as more than a depth addition as they try to keep their roster in win-now shape. For Anaheim, it is another quick reminder of how fast veteran rentals can move on once the season ends. [Read more 🡒]