In many ways, the catalyst for this big-money summer in the NHL was Leo Carlsson and the five-year, $92 million offer sheet he signed with the Philadelphia Flyers in July.
While the likes of Macklin Celebrini (five years, $18.8 million AAV) and Cale Makar (eight years, $20.4 million AAV) were each due for a massive pay raise in their own right, the Carlsson deal is sure to have ripple effects for young, promising stars looking to cash in on the rising cap.
That's something the talented young Swede knows very well.
"Players are thanking me," Carlsson said at the NHL's media tour in Las Vegas, per The Athletic's Mark Lazerus.
"Obviously it's a huge deal for the league," Carlsson added in an interview with Sportsnet's Sean Reynolds.
Carlsson said he had a bit of an idea the effect his deal would have on the rest of the NHL, but that he "didn't really think so much about that at that time."
While Carlsson, who finished the 2025-26 season with 29 goals and 67 points in 70 games, earned his hefty contract, the dilemma now facing the Ducks is how to balance that alongside their other young guns who are due or soon-to-be due for raises of their own.
Cutter Gauthier, who became just the fourth player in Ducks history to score 40 goals in a season last year, is currently without a contract, and Beckett Sennecke, third in Calder voting in 2025-26, will be an RFA in 2028.
The Ducks and veteran forward Chris Kreider already agreed to waivers for the purpose of contract termination earlier Wednesday, presumably to free up salary space, demonstrating the delicate balance act that comes with awarding a contract of that size.
"Personally, it's a hard question," Carlsson said on the salary gymnastics that a high-cap hit creates. "Everyone feels different. Obviously it's such a weird business, like I don't want to see Chris leave.
"Hard business, for sure."
