NHL Rumor Roundup: Ongoing Fallout From The Carlsson Offer Sheet And Latest Hurricanes Buzz
The aftershocks from the Philadelphia Flyers signing Anaheim Ducks center Leo Carlsson to an offer sheet continue to be felt around the NHL.
For the Ducks, matching that five-year offer and its monstrous $18 million average annual value would leave them with less than $10 million of salary-cap space for this season.
Eric Stephens of The Athletic believes it would make it difficult to re-sign left winger Cutter Gauthier.
The NHL Needs More Heels Like The Flyers After Leo Carlsson Offer Sheet
The NHL should be thanking the Flyers for playing the villain and signing Leo Carlsson to a massive offer sheet. The now-heightened animosity between them and the Ducks is what the game needs.
Meanwhile, Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman wondered what effect Carlsson's offer sheet would have on the San Jose Sharks' efforts to sign superstar center Macklin Celebrini to an extension.
Celebrini, 20, is in the final season of his entry-level contract. The Sharks can sign him this summer and could do so to avoid their franchise player becoming an offer-sheet target next July.
Friedman mused about whether the Sharks will try to convince Celebrini not to seek the league maximum salary on his next deal. With the salary cap rising to $113 million for 2027-28, the maximum would be $22.6 million.
A NEW ERA: Flyers Offer Sheet Kick Starts a New Era of Salaries With Major Implications for the Sharks
The San Jose Sharks were always going to have to back up the Brinks truck to sign their young superstars next summer, but with one swipe of a pen, Leo Carlsson and the Philadelphia Flyers have changed the entire landscape of the NHL.
Speaking of offer sheets, Friedman said the Carolina Hurricanes are hoping to use one to make a big splash this summer. He felt that they might have been looking into Simon Edvinsson of the Red Wings.
The Hurricanes could be seeking a replacement for defenseman Alexander Nikishin, who is reportedly on the trade block. Friedman indicated they're also trying to include center Jesperi Kotkaniemi in the deal, which would clear his $4.25-million cap hit from their books.
If the Hurricanes were hoping to sign away Edvinsson, they're unlikely to be successful. Kevin Allen of Detroit Hockey Now reports the Red Wings have set aside $12 million in case the 23-year-old blueliner signs an offer sheet.
Friedman also said the Hurricanes considered the possibility of signing a player to an offer sheet and then trading him if the signing was successful. Teams that match an offer sheet cannot trade the player for one year, but there are no trade restrictions for teams that have successfully signed away a player.
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This story was originally published July 8, 2026 at 10:17 AM.