The Anaheim Ducks didn’t just make a move this offseason - they made the kind of move that changes the whole conversation around a franchise. By matching the Philadelphia Flyers’ five-year, $90 million offer sheet for Leo Carlsson, Anaheim kept its young center and accepted a deal that comes with a record-setting $18 million AAV, the highest in NHL history.
The Ducks called it an easy decision in a statement, and they also credited GM Pat Verbeek for leaving enough cap space to make it happen. That matters, because this wasn’t a case of scrambling to save a player at the last second. Anaheim clearly sees the 21-year-old as a cornerstone, and after a 67-point season, Carlsson has already put himself in the No. 1 center conversation.
The cost, of course, is massive. Matching the offer sheet means Anaheim avoids losing Carlsson for four first-round picks, but it also pushes the spotlight onto the rest of the Ducks’ restricted free agents.
Pavel Mintyukov is already signed, while names like Cutter Gauthier still need new deals. That leaves Anaheim with a delicate balancing act over the next couple of months as it tries to keep the books under control.
Elsewhere on the trade front, Dylan Larkin’s situation has shifted only a little. The Detroit Red Wings captain has expanded his trade list to include Dallas, joining Florida, Minnesota, and Vegas. Even with that addition, the sense around the league is that the process still won’t move quickly.
Detroit’s early ask reportedly centered on Wyatt Johnston, and Dallas shut that down fast. That’s not a surprise.
Johnston’s age, production, and team-friendly contract make him the kind of player a team does not casually move. Adding the Stars to Larkin’s list gives the Red Wings one more possible path, but the market still looks tight.
A three-team deal may end up being the cleanest route, especially with the teams on Larkin’s list dealing with cap issues or roster limits.
One of the offseason’s most striking stories had nothing to do with a rink. Devils captain Nico Hischier helped rescue a family on the Aare River in Switzerland after their inflatable boat got stuck near a dam. The group included two children.
Hischier was nearby when it happened and helped first responders and other bystanders bring the family safely to shore. Authorities said everyone was rescued without injury. Hischier brushed off the praise afterward, saying, “In this situation, everyone is grateful for support, and we were all relieved that no one was harmed in the end,”
And then there’s Pittsburgh, where the Elias Pettersson chatter refuses to die. The Penguins have reportedly put their focus back on trying to land the Canucks forward, with Tyler Kennedy, as cited by Andrew Fillipponi, saying GM Kyle Dubas may be taking another run at it after a previous trade attempt to Pittsburgh was shut down.
Elliotte Friedman added that Pettersson could still benefit from skating with Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin. There’s also some intrigue around the idea of a reunion with Andrei Kuzmenko, which has apparently caught attention behind the scenes.
The sticking point remains Vancouver’s ask. The Canucks are reportedly seeking Ben Kindel, and that looks like a non-starter for Dubas. Kindel had 17 goals and 35 points in 77 games last season, and that price tag may be enough to keep the talks from getting anywhere fast.
In Other News...
Devils Suddenly Face A Bigger Forward Question Than Expected
Sunny Mehta has barely settled into the general manager chair in New Jersey, but the Devils are already being pushed to keep improvising. After a run of creative transactions, the front office now has to reassess its forward plans after Colorado matched the offer sheet for Hayton, a reminder that even aggressive roster-building can hit a wall fast in the current NHL landscape.
For the Devils, the next move matters because the search for more scoring depth was never really finished, and the market can change quickly when other clubs decide to keep their players. It is the kind of challenge that has tripped up a number of teams in the player empowerment era, where staying competitive can be just as tricky as getting better, and New Jersey still has to find the right answer without the easy path it thought it had. [Read more 🡒]
Panthers Fans May Not Love What Boqvist Could Become Next
Jesper Boqvist is headed back to New Jersey with a chance to carve out a more meaningful role than he had the first time around. After a season that included 13 points in 73 games, the versatile forward brings the kind of two-way game the Devils have been trying to round out in their bottom six, along with the benefit of having already spent time in the organization.
What makes the fit more interesting is the playoff background Boqvist now carries with him. He has been through three postseason runs and comes in fresh off a Stanley Cup with Florida in 2025, experience that can matter for a team trying to deepen its lineup for the 2026-27 season. The Devils are betting that a familiar face with a sturdier game can help them in ways that go beyond the box score. [Read more 🡒]
Devils May Have A Real Answer To Their Top Six Problem
Anaheims cap squeeze has become the kind of situation rival teams keep an eye on, and New Jersey has obvious reason to watch closely. After matching Leo Carlssons massive offer sheet and still needing to lock up Cutter Gauthier on a long-term deal, the Ducks may have to move money out of the roster just to get breathing room. That has naturally put a few names into the conversation, especially among players who could help a Devils group still looking for another top-six winger to fit alongside Jack Hughes and Jesper Bratt.
The appeal for New Jersey is straightforward: if Anaheim is forced to make a difficult choice, the Devils would love to be in position to pounce on a proven forward who can raise the ceiling of their top six. The Ducks have several moving parts to manage, and any deal that opens cap space could send a useful scorer onto the market. For a Devils team trying to sharpen its attack, this is the kind of opportunity that can change the shape of a lineup if the right player becomes available. [Read more 🡒]