When Leo Carlsson signed Philadelphia’s five-year, $90 million offer sheet, the obvious question was whether the young centre actually wanted to leave Anaheim. After the Ducks matched, Carlsson finally gave a clear answer.

He wanted the contract. He was willing to sign with Philadelphia if Anaheim declined. But he also wanted to remain a Duck.

“I always wanted to be a Duck.”

Leo Carlsson, July 9, 2026

That comment, made after Anaheim matched the offer sheet, gives important context to a week that generated plenty of speculation about Carlsson’s intentions.

Signing an offer sheet did not automatically mean Carlsson wanted out

Philadelphia tendered Carlsson a five-year, $90 million offer sheet on July 3. The contract carried an $18 million average annual value and would have cost the Flyers four first-round draft picks if Anaheim declined to match.

Carlsson signed it. That mattered because an offer sheet cannot happen without the player agreeing to the contract.

But the later comments make clear that signing it was not the same thing as asking Anaheim to let him go.

Speaking after the Ducks matched, Carlsson said the size of Philadelphia’s offer was simply too significant to reject. He described it as the type of offer almost anyone would sign because of the long-term financial security it created for him and his family.

NHL.com reported that Carlsson said he had always wanted to remain in Anaheim and was relieved when the Ducks matched.

The Ducks jersey speculation looks different now

During the waiting period, Carlsson was seen wearing Anaheim gear while training. At the time, fans debated whether that was a subtle message about where he wanted to play.

It was always possible that the gear meant nothing. Players train in team equipment regularly, and Carlsson technically remained part of the Ducks organization while Anaheim held its matching rights.

But after hearing Carlsson say that Anaheim felt like home, those images now fit the final outcome much more naturally. They were not proof of anything on their own, but they were consistent with a player who had not emotionally moved on from the Ducks.

The offer sheet gave Carlsson leverage Anaheim had not provided

The most important lesson may be that a player can prefer his current team while still using an offer sheet to establish his market value.

Philadelphia gave Carlsson something Anaheim had not yet put on the table: a guaranteed five-year contract worth $90 million.

Once he signed, the decision shifted almost entirely to the Ducks. Anaheim could either accept four first-round picks and lose its franchise centre or match the exact terms and keep him.

The Ducks chose the player.

Carlsson did not apologize for signing

Another important part of Carlsson’s response was that he did not treat the offer sheet as something he regretted.

He acknowledged the life-changing nature of the contract and made clear that he understood why he signed it. At the same time, he spoke positively about returning to Anaheim.

That combination is a useful reminder that NHL contract negotiations are business decisions. A player does not necessarily have to dislike his team to use leverage when another club offers significantly more money.

Anaheim’s decision validated Carlsson’s importance

The Ducks had spent years presenting Carlsson as a cornerstone. Matching the offer sheet backed that up with one of the largest commitments in hockey.

Carlsson had just produced career highs with 29 goals, 38 assists and 67 points in 70 regular-season games, then added 11 points in 12 playoff games.

Anaheim ownership said matching was an easy decision, while general manager Pat Verbeek reiterated that the organization had viewed Carlsson as a franchise player since before drafting him second overall in 2023.

Anaheim officially matched the contract on July 9, keeping Carlsson through the 2030-31 season.

So did Carlsson want to be a Flyer?

The most accurate answer is more complicated than yes or no.

He was willing to become a Flyer. He signed Philadelphia’s contract knowing that was a possible outcome.

But his comments after Anaheim matched indicate that leaving the Ducks was not his preferred outcome. The offer sheet gave him financial leverage and a guaranteed contract; Anaheim’s match allowed him to keep both the contract and the team he wanted to remain with.

In the end, Carlsson did not have to choose between the money and Anaheim.

Philadelphia made sure he got the first. The Ducks made sure he kept the second.

For the full offer-sheet timeline and final contract details, read How Leo Carlsson’s $90 Million Offer Sheet Ended — And Why It Still Matters.

Sources: Anaheim Ducks, NHL.com.