theathleticuk
There are a number of ways to view the Philadelphia Flyers stunning five-year, $90 million offer sheet to Leo Carlsson on Friday.
Desperate? A little.
The Flyers need an elite-level top-line center, and considering they are a team on the rise thats unlikely to have any top-three picks anytime soon, they were always going to have to find a unique way to try and unearth one particularly after the 2026 free agent class dried up.
Advertisement Pointless? Maybe.
Its likely the Anaheim Ducks will match.
They have plenty of salary cap space, and Carlsson is arguably that young, exciting teams most important piece for now and the future.
Creative? Absolutely.
Flyers GM Daniel Briere is not only offering to make Carlsson the leagues highest-paid player, but the five-year term walks the 21-year-old straight to free agency, where he would conceivably cash in on another big deal if he becomes the player so many believe he will.
According to colleague Chris Johnston, $38.9 million of the deal would be paid out by July 1, 2027, while slightly more than $85 million is to be paid in signing bonuses.
Ballsy? Yep.
Carlsson, while he looks like a future stud already, has been in the league for just three seasons, and there are no guarantees hes going to reach the kind of heights that would justify this contract.
In addition, Briere risks upsetting other general managers around the league for handing out so much money to a player some might argue doesnt deserve it yet.
(You have to wonder whats going through Sharks GM Mike Griers head when it comes to Macklin Celebrinis next deal, or Blackhawks GM Kyle Davidsons regarding Connor Bedard, who remains a restricted free agent.) Further, if the Ducks dont match, the Flyers losing four first-round picks would adversely affect their future.
Ostentatious? Without a doubt.
Briere, Keith Jones, and their boss, governor Dan Hilferty, have been eager to pull off the sort of splashy, bold move that will help make Philadelphia a hockey town again.
This certainly qualifies.
And even if Carlsson ends up back in Anaheim, they can point to the fact that a player of his caliber was willing to continue his career with the Flyers.
It sends a message to players around the league, too, that the Flyers coffers are open.
Advertisement The Flyers offseason was a bit sleepy before Friday, with only goalie Joseph Woll and fourth-liner Noel Acciari the notable additions.
Still, Briere didnt come across as disappointed in his news conference Wednesday afternoon after the free agency dust had settled.
Weve preached patience from the start of this three years ago, he said.
But signing Carlsson reflects that there is some urgency here, too, even if the Flyers are currently the NHLs fourth-youngest team.
Just about all of their core players are now locked up long-term, including Dan Vladar and Tyson Foerster, who are now signed for the next six and nine years, respectively, after signing extensions on Wednesday.
Travis Konecny, Owen Tippett, Christian Dvorak, Travis Sanheim and Cam York are all signed for at least the next four seasons, too, with restricted free agents Trevor Zegras and Jamie Drysdale likely to join them at some point once all this Carlsson stuff gets resolved.
Considering the positive contributions of all of those players throughout the teams second-half surge this past season and the Flyers commitment to them, coupled with young players like Porter Martone, Matvei Michkov, Denver Barkey and Alex Bump all with the potential to take significant leaps, the Flyers may not believe internally that theyre as far from contending as Briere has often suggested.
That included on Wednesday, when he somewhat puzzlingly said there was a good chance the 2026-27 Flyers take a little bit of a step back.
The Flyers already have a fair amount of momentum as an organization.
Martone, in particular, has given a jolt to the fan base as potentially the next homegrown superstar.
Theres still hope that Michkovs sophomore season was a blip on the radar, and the young winger will stage a vengeance tour coach Rick Tocchets words next season.
Vladar has become instantly beloved in a town thats notoriously difficult on goaltenders, particularly after his extraordinary performance in the series-clinching Game 6 of the first round over Sidney Crosby and the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Others like Drysdale, Zegras, York, Barkey and Bump look primed to bring a whole new generation of fans into the fold, too.
Flyers management knows the roster is still missing a major piece or two if theyre to keep riding that wave, though.
And now we know the kind of lengths theyre willing to go to get them.