Philadelphia Flyers GM Danny Briere’s record-breaking offer sheet for Leo Carlsson was ruthless. And if the Anaheim Ducks match that offer, it may not be out of the question for Briere to pivot to Columbus Blue Jackets star Adam Fantilli.
Maybe it was because the NBA's Philadelphia 76ers made a big splash this week – acquiring veteran star Jaylen Brown - and showed they were in win-now mode while pushing the city’s upstart hockey team to the media’s background.
Or maybe the Philadelphia Flyers are still fuming about Cutter Gauthier forcing his way out of Philly. He was dealt to the Anaheim Ducks in 2024, and now the Flyers are on the verge of taking away one of his top teammates.
Or Flyers GM Danny Briere just thought it was time to address perhaps Philadelphia’s biggest need, which is a young No. 1 center.
Whatever the reason, Briere boldly tendered RFA center Leo Carlsson a five-year, $90-million offer sheet, which carries an annual $18-million cap hit. That would make the gifted Swede the league’s highest-paid player on an annual basis, surpassing Kirill Kaprizov’s $17-million-a-year average salary with the Minnesota Wild.
The Ducks can match the offer, and the feeling is that they will retain Carlsson. That might cause Briere to chase another RFA center like the Columbus Blue Jackets’ Adam Fantilli.
For now, the ball is in Anaheim’s court.
The Ducks have until July 10 to match the offer. If they don’t, Philadelphia will surrender four first-round draft picks to Anaheim in exchange for Carlsson on that five-year contract.
Briere said the team would not have any comment until after the Ducks make a decision to retain Carlsson or let him go to Philly.
This is reminiscent of a move made by then Flyers GM Paul Holmgren in 2012, when he tried to lure Nashville Predators defenseman Shea Weber to Philadelphia by signing the RFA to a 14-year, $110-million-per-year offer sheet. Nashville matched it.
Holmgren later said other GMs were more reluctant to deal with him after the move. GMs have sort of a gentleman’s agreement not to sign RFAs, but there is nothing illegal about it.
Offer sheets don't happen very often, but good on Briere to push the envelope for a much-needed piece.
The young Flyers made the playoffs last season for the first time in six years, then upset the Pittsburgh Penguins in the first round, sprouting optimism.
But the team knew it needed a No. 1 center and a quarterback on their woeful power play before it could be considered a legitimate Stanley Cup contender.
Briere has tried to make some moves to fill those spots, but has shot blanks. Enter the brave world of free agency, particularly on the RFA front.
Carlsson, 21, the second overall draft pick in 2023, would fill one of the Flyers’ glaring needs. The 6-foot-3 center had 29 goals and 38 assists for 67 points in 70 games this past year. He then added four goals and 11 points in 12 playoff games.
Even if Anaheim retains Carlsson, the signing would hurt its salary structure. The Ducks have several players they need to sign, including Gauthier, who had 41 goals this past season and who once demanded a trade from the Flyers.
Could the Ducks end up paying Carlsson and Gauthier more than a combined $30 million a season in 2026-27? Absolutely.
So what happens if Carlsson ends up staying in Anaheim? Well, now that Briere has shown he is all in on trying to make a big splash, he might turn his attention to RFA Fantilli if he is unable to land Carlsson.
Like Carlsson, the 6-foot-2 Fantilli is 21 years old and an RFA. He had 24 goals and 59 points this past season, and his career numbers of 140 points in 213 games are eerily similar to Carlsson’s 141 points in 201 games.
Fantilli was drafted No. 3 overall by Columbus in 2023 – one pick after Carlsson went to Anaheim.
Also, the Ducks have $35.17 million in cap space if they don't retain Carlsson, while Columbus has $21.46 million in cap space, per puckpedia.com.
If you do the math, the Flyers ($29.6 million in cap space) would seemingly have a better chance to get a deal done for the Blue Jackets’ center.
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