Anaheim has told other teams it will match any offer sheet for 21-year-old center Leo Carlsson, signaling it will not risk losing one of its top young core pieces.
Cap space drove that stance: the Ducks were not overly active in free agency so GM Pat Verbeek can absorb a max-term contract that could carry a double-digit annual value.
Carlsson strengthened his leverage with a breakout 2025-26 campaign, scoring 29 goals and 38 assists in 70 games as the 2023 No. 2 pick moved closer to top-line center status.
The warning to rivals is also a negotiating tactic, with Verbeek trying to keep control of the process and set the terms himself even if talks stretch deep into the summer.