The mega offer blew up the NHL market – Leo Carlsson's old comment was brought up

The NHL’s summer trade market was shaken up on Friday when the Philadelphia Flyers made a historic mega-offer to Anaheim Ducks’ restricted free agent Leo Carlsson.

The Flyers offered the 21-year-old Swedish center a five-year contract with an average annual salary of as much as 18 million dollars. Carlsson will become the highest-paid player in the NHL based on average salary for a single season.

Carlsson has already accepted the offer, and now Anaheim has a week to exercise its right of first refusal and respond with an identical contract. If the team does not do so, the young top center will move to Philadelphia, and the Ducks will receive four first-round draft picks as compensation.

What makes the situation particularly interesting is what Carlsson said just a year ago.

The Swede appeared in an interview last summer with HockeySverigen alongside Elias Pettersson. During the conversation, Pettersson, representing the Vancouver Canucks, asked his countryman what kind of extension he would be willing to sign.

– An eight-year deal, Carlsson replied.

Pettersson continued by asking if an eight-year contract with a 9.5 million dollar annual salary would be acceptable.

– I would take it, absolutely, Carlsson replied without hesitation.

However, the Ducks did not initiate negotiations with their prized asset at that time for a long-term extension, as the management wanted Carlsson to finish his entry-level contract before making any decisions.

The decision is now proving to be incredibly costly for the Ducks. If the team wants to hold on to its star center, it will now practically have to pay Carlsson nearly double the salary compared to what he was willing to commit to just a year ago.