The No. 2 draft pick in 2023 has 18 goals, 26 assists and 44 points in 44 games this season and was named to Team Sweden’s roster for Milan. Sarah Stier / Getty Images
The Anaheim Ducks announced that star center Leo Carlsson will be sidelined for three to five weeks after undergoing surgery on Friday to treat a Morel-Lavallée lesion in his left thigh.
Carlsson’s status for playing in the upcoming Winter Olympics has now been put into question. Carlsson is an important player for medal-contending Sweden, with the 21-year-old possibly a consideration to center the top line for Tre Kronor.
Injury Update: Leo Carlsson underwent a procedure today in Los Angeles to treat a Morel-Lavallée lesion in his left thigh. Carlsson will be out of game action for approximately 3-5 weeks. pic.twitter.com/9aqcrYLhol
— Anaheim Ducks (@AnaheimDucks) January 17, 2026
The timeline does not rule out Carlsson from playing in Milan. Sweden begins Group B play against host country Italy on Feb. 11, which is about three and a half weeks out from his surgery. Carlsson is holding out hope to play, and his recovery over the next two weeks could help determine his availability.
A Morel-Lavallée lesion, according to the Cleveland Clinic, is an uncommon condition resulting from shearing trauma and collection of fluid in the space between deep fatty tissue and superficial fascia — the loose connective tissue layer beneath the skin. A Ducks spokesman said Carlsson was diagnosed within the last 24 hours.
In his third season, Carlsson has emerged as one of the NHL’s bright young stars. As Anaheim’s top-line center, the 6-foot-3 playmaker got off to a terrific start as he was among the league’s top scorers with 17 goals and 41 points in his first 33 games. Carlsson’s struggles since then mirrored those of the slumping Ducks, who snapped a nine-game losing streak Tuesday with a home victory over the Dallas Stars.
Carlsson snapped a 12-game goalless drought with a score and assist last Saturday against Buffalo. It was the last game he played before missing Tuesday. He had only one assist over a 10-game stretch, and while he’s no longer on a 100-point pace, he still has a team-leading 44 points in 44 games.