Leo Carlsson (20) is unequivocally the Anaheim Ducks’ franchise player. The team suffered through the worst season in franchise history in 2022-23, with the mindset of landing a top-three draft pick, a selection that was said to guarantee the team picking in that range a franchise-altering center: Connor Bedard, Adam Fantilli, or Carlsson.
The Ducks didn’t win the initial lottery to select first overall in 2023, but won the next drawing to select second. The second-overall pick in 2023 marked the highest selection in Ducks/Mighty Ducks history, tied with the selection of Bobby Ryan in 2005.
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Despite consensus leaning toward Fantilli as the second-best prospect in the draft, general manager Pat Verbeek and the Ducks' scouting staff opted for Carlsson, thought of as more of a cerebral, two-way type center who performed historically well in his draft year among grown men in the SHL.
Carlsson represents the reason NHL teams bottom out in rebuilds. He’s the player the Ducks have invested the most in, gone out on a limb for on draft night, manufactured a potentially revolutionary game management regimen for during his rookie season, and immediately placed him in a 1C role.
He promptly subverted public scouting reports that cited his skating as a potential drawback or suggested he was more of a nuanced tactician. We’ve since learned that Carlsson can flat-out fly, and he consistently makes plays at a higher pace than most players in the NHL.
Carlsson is a transition ace who has learned to quickly build speed through his end and the neutral zone to push defenders on their heels, beat others wide, and gain easy offensive zone entry. His skill level, especially at his 6-foot-3 frame and at top speed, is as impressive as it gets.
The benefits of his game management regimen weren’t fully realized as he dealt with a few injuries in his rookie season, but he flashed aspects of his game that could catapult him to superstardom. He scored 29 points (12-17=29) in 55 games in 2023-24.
The next season, Carlsson struggled out of the gate from a production standpoint, but was awarded a spot on Sweden’s “4-Nations Face-Off” roster, regardless. Leading up to and following that tournament, Carlsson’s production took off, as he was able to find more ways to drive play and dictate pace.
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He finished the season with a total of 45 points (20-25=45) in 75 games, but 29 of those points came in his final 31 games. He looks primed to pick up where he left off, as his production continued for Sweden at the 2025 IIHF World Championships, where he scored ten points (4-6=10) in ten games en route to a bronze medal. And he may just be scratching the surface.
Carlsson’s already shown vast improvement in his explosion and his approach to attacking a defensive structure. Where once he would attempt to singlehandedly take on four defenders in transition, only to have a shot blocked or find its way on net for an easy long-distance save, he’s added layers of a change-of-pace approach, often slamming on the brakes, cutting outside in/inside out, and finding streaking teammates in open ice.
His forechecking and transition defense is impressive and polished for just a 20-year-old center, as he can disrupt rushes and kill plays early as an F3, but he will need to improve his one-on-one and coverage tendencies to fully unlock his two-way capabilities. An improvement in the faceoff dot to his lowly career 38.5% clip will also limit his time spent defending on a shift-by-shift basis.
On the offensive end, he could stand to assert himself more on the cycle, holding on to pucks longer and moving his feet up and down the wall to draw defenders out of position. Improved edges will help him ward off defenders at a more consistent clip. He’ll also hopefully find where he ultimately fits on the power play under the Ducks’ new offense and power play coach Jay Woodcroft.
It’s remarkable to realize how impactful Carlsson has already become while still possessing several areas for improvement, offering him an extremely long developmental runway. He’ll be afforded every opportunity to make his 2025-26 campaign a true breakout season and force his way into conversations among the NHL’s future elite superstars and become a dominant player over the entire 200-foot ice surface.
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