New NHL Signings Prove Flyers Didn't Break Market for League with Leo Carlsson Offer Sheet

The Philadelphia Flyers' offer sheet to Leo Carlsson, worth $18 million per year in cap hit, was criticized for inflating the NHL market, but recent signings suggest otherwise. Connor Bedard, the 2023 No. 1 overall pick, signed a five-year, $75 million extension with the Chicago Blackhawks at a $15 million AAV, while Trevor Zegras also signed a new deal. These contracts indicate the market has not been permanently distorted by the Carlsson offer sheet, which made the 21-year-old center the highest-paid player in the NHL on a per-year basis, just ahead of Kirill Kaprizov's $17 million annual cap hit.