The matching of Carlsson’s five-year, $90 million deal ($18 million AAV) has left the Ducks with just over $9 million in cap space, 40-goal scorer Cutter Gauthier still to sign, and a blueline short-handed after the departures of vets Radko Gudas and Jacob Trouba, and the trade of Olen Zellweger to Buffalo last month. Ducks GM Pat Verbeek was taken by surprise at the Carlsson offer sheet, thinking he would have plenty of cap space to sign him, Gauthier, blueliner Pavel Mintyukov, and more defensive replacements.
