Ducks Match Flyers' Offer to Keep Young Star Leo Carlsson

The Hurricanes owner put his family members' names on the Stanley Cup, and people made fun of it online.

The Anaheim Ducks matched the Philadelphia Flyers' offer to keep their young star, Leo Carlsson, at a high cost.

The Ducks made this decision on Thursday for the 21-year-old Carlsson, now the NHL's highest-paid player under a five-year, $90 million deal.

Carlsson said it will be special to have this pressure and he's excited to be back with the Ducks, which feels like home.

Carlsson signed the Flyers' offer after talks with the Ducks didn't work out, and the Ducks' general manager, Pat Verbeek, was surprised by the Flyers' aggressive offer.

Carlsson's new contract is worth more than expected, with an $18 million average annual value, surpassing Kirill Kaprizov's salary.

Verbeek was shocked by the Flyers' offer and said this experience might change how he does business.

Verbeek is confident that with the cap going up, Carlsson will become an elite player, making the contract a good one in the end.

Carlsson got a huge payday from his first significant contract talks, which might affect the NHL's salary structure, and he's excited about the Ducks' future.

Carlsson said hockey is a lot of business, and the offer from the Flyers was too good to pass up, with his teammates supporting his decision.

The Flyers tried to get Carlsson but failed, showing their general manager's determination to improve the roster, and the Ducks would have gotten draft picks if they hadn't matched the offer.

The Flyers' offer might have changed how the NHL values young players, with a front-loaded contract and costly signing bonuses.

The Canadiens didn't match the Hurricanes' offer to Kotkaniemi.

The Predators matched a 14-year offer sheet to Shea Weber.

Fortunately for the Ducks, their billionaire owner, Henry Samueli, was willing to make a big financial commitment to keep Carlsson.

Verbeek claimed he made fair offers to Carlsson last September, but they didn't work out, and he felt Carlsson's agent was slowing down talks.

Verbeek was surprised by the Flyers' offer but feels flattered that they wanted Carlsson, showing the Ducks are doing a good job.

The Ducks kept Carlsson, but Verbeek's inability to get a deal done earlier might hurt their roster-building efforts, after a rough summer.

The Ducks lost veteran defencemen and haven't re-signed a key scorer, with Verbeek still trying to figure out how to fit him under the cap.

This deal is the latest in Verbeek's history of tough negotiations with free agents, with some players holding out or being traded.

Alfredsson said he had to leave the Senators' bench to improve as a coach.

Connor Bedard will miss the start of the season after shoulder surgery.

Verbeek has a few months to figure out how to fit another key player under the cap, possibly by dumping a veteran's salary.

Verbeek said they will have to do business differently moving forward and make adjustments.

Carlsson was a top draft pick and has emerged as one of the NHL's top young playmakers, with potential to become one of the best centers.

Carlsson scored 67 points last season despite an injury and added 11 points in his first postseason experience.

Carlsson wants to grow as a player, get away from slumps, and stay at a high level all season.

The Hurricanes owner's decision to put his family members' names on the Stanley Cup has caused controversy online.

The owner, Tom Dundon, and his family members are the first names on the Cup, before players and staff.

A player who didn't meet the threshold for being on the Cup didn't have his name engraved, but teams can petition for an exemption.

New investors in the Hurricanes weren't included on the Cup, and the team didn't comment when asked.

The Hurricanes won their second title by beating the Vegas Golden Knights in six games.

A commentator joked about the owner's family members' names being on the Cup, saying it tilted the ice.

The Hurricanes won their first Stanley Cup in 20 years.

More NHL coverage is available.

A social media user joked that putting family members' names on the Cup is embarrassing.

Another user joked about the number of Dundons on the Cup, comparing it to a TV show.

The Hockey Hall of Fame said it's not involved with the engraving of the Cup, just its care.

It's not the first time an owner's relative was engraved on the Cup.

In 1984, an owner had his father's name engraved, but it was later removed because he had nothing to do with the win.

The owner later said it was a clerical mistake.

Including family members on the Cup doesn't seem to be a problem anymore, with another owner including relatives in 2025.

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