The Anaheim Ducks suffered their first loss of the 2026-27 regular season on Wednesday night, falling 5-2 to the Edmonton Oilers. Despite the defeat, Anaheim opened the season with consecutive victories, beating the Vegas Golden Knights 4-3 before earning a 3-2 overtime win against the Florida Panthers.

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One of the biggest reasons for Anaheim’s strong start has been 21-year-old forward Leo Carlsson. The young center has opened the season on a torrid pace, recording six points through his first three games. After scoring a goal and adding an assist against Vegas, Carlsson recorded three assists against Florida and followed that performance with two more assists against Edmonton.

Carlsson currently leads the Ducks in scoring and sits among the NHL’s top point producers. He is tied for fifth in league scoring, trailing Connor McDavid, Evan Bouchard, Jack Eichel, and Leon Draisaitl. Those are familiar names near the top of the NHL leaderboard, but Carlsson’s production stands out even more considering he has played fewer games than the players ahead of him.

Although the Ducks suffered their first loss, Carlsson’s early-season performance has given the organization plenty of reasons to feel confident about its investment in the young forward.

The Offer Sheet Fiasco

During the offseason, Carlsson received a five-year, $90 million offer sheet from the Philadelphia Flyers. Anaheim faced a tough decision: match the offer to retain one of its most important young players or allow Philadelphia to acquire him in exchange for four first-round draft picks.

The Ducks ultimately matched the offer sheet, keeping Carlsson in Anaheim while committing $18 million annually to the forward. The deal immediately put Carlsson among the league’s highest-paid players in terms of AAV.

However, matching such an offer comes with consequences. Anaheim faced additional salary-cap pressure, which contributed to the decision to move on from Chris Kreider. Kreider ended up signing with the Montreal Canadiens.

The contract also creates questions about Anaheim’s long-term financial flexibility, particularly as the organization prepares to make decisions on other players who will need new contracts. The Ducks are building around a promising young core, but keeping that group together could become increasingly difficult as salaries rise.

Leo Carlsson’s Ducks Tenure

Anaheim selected Carlsson with the second overall pick in the 2023 NHL Entry Draft. He made his NHL debut on October 19, 2023, against the Dallas Stars, scoring his first career goal in a 3-2 loss. His goal tied the game early in the third period, providing an early look at the offensive ability that made him such a highly regarded prospect.

Since entering the league, Carlsson has steadily developed into an important piece of Anaheim’s future. Including the current season, he has appeared in 204 NHL games, recording 148 points on 62 goals and 86 assists. He also has 12 power-play goals, three shorthanded goals, and nine game-winning goals while carrying a minus-three rating.

Carlsson gained his first taste of playoff hockey last season, appearing in 12 postseason games with Anaheim. He delivered 11 points, including four goals and seven assists, while finishing as a plus-one and with two game-winning goals.

That postseason experience should prove valuable as the Ducks continue their push toward becoming a consistent playoff contender. Carlsson has already demonstrated that he can produce during meaningful games, and Anaheim will need that offensive contribution as the team looks to take another step forward.

Will Carlsson’s Contract Hurt the Ducks?

The question surrounding Carlsson’s contract is whether committing $90 million over five years will ultimately limit Anaheim’s ability to build a contender around him. The financial commitment is significant, and the consequences could become more apparent as the Ducks look to extend other important pieces of their roster.

However, Carlsson’s early-season production offers an encouraging sign. He has immediately taken on an offensive leadership role and is producing at a level that makes his contract easier to justify.

Anaheim is counting on Carlsson to be a cornerstone of its future alongside other young talents such as Beckett Sennecke and goaltender Lukas Dostal. The organization also has defenseman Tristan Luneau under a new extension, adding another piece to its long-term plans.

Three games are not enough to determine whether Carlsson will consistently live up to an $18 million AAV. Nevertheless, his early performances show why Anaheim was unwilling to let him walk away.

The Ducks made a massive financial commitment to keep their young center. If Carlsson continues producing at this level, that decision could prove worthwhile as Anaheim works to establish itself as a serious contender in the Western Conference.