Insider exposes which team was behind the Pavel Mintyukov offer sheet

The Anaheim Ducks entered this offseason with a lot on the table, but managed to get Pavel Mintyukov locked down on a five-year, $7.2 million-per-season extension. But the circumstances surrounding the deal reveal just how close the 22-year-old defenseman came to being pried away.

It was first reported that Mintyukov had at least two offer sheets presented to him, with one reportedly ready to be signed. The Ducks moved quickly to prevent a second offer sheet blow in the span of just three days.

The identity of the team or teams behind those offer sheets has not been officially confirmed. But insider Elliotte Friedman recently revealed that it was the Carolina Hurricanes, the defending Stanley Cup champions, who had made the offer sheet to Mintyukov.

The pressure was on and it all forced Anaheim’s hand, especially with Philadelphia had already sending shockwaves through the league by tendering a massive five-year, $18 million-per-season offer sheet to fellow Ducks RFA Leo Carlsson just two days prior. The Flyers' aggressive posture toward Anaheim's young talent reportedly made the Mintyukov situation all the more urgent.

Mintyukov posted career-best analytics, including a nearly 20-point jump in expected goal share at five-on-five.

His extension leaves the Ducks with roughly $10 million in cap space and two more RFAs to sign in Cutter Gauthier and Tyson Hinds. Gauthier is ineligible for offer sheets, providing some breathing room.

GM Pat Verbeek has at least secured one cornerstone piece. But the offer sheet frenzy aimed at Anaheim's core suggests the rest of this offseason could remain anything but calm.