More than 7 NHL teams wanted Leo Carlsson before the offer sheet chaos!

The Leo Carlsson offer sheet saga between the Anaheim Ducks and Philadelphia Flyers captivated the hockey world earlier this month. But the behind-the-scenes picture of just how sought-after the 21-year-old center was is only now coming into full focus.

Carlsson's agent, Matt Keator, appeared on the 32 Thoughts podcast and dropped a revealing nugget about the frenzy that surrounded his client. According to Keator, seven or eight teams reached out with interest in Carlsson, and four of those clubs were prepared to put formal offers on the table immediately.

"We were blown away by it a bit," Keator said.

That level of demand helps explain how the situation escalated to the point it did. The Flyers ultimately tendered a record-setting offer sheet worth five years and $90 million, carrying an $18 million average annual value that would make Carlsson the highest-paid player in the NHL.

Anaheim matched the offer within the seven-day window allowed under the CBA, keeping their young franchise cornerstone in place. But the sheer scale of the contract still stunned Ducks general manager Pat Verbeek.

The deal is structured almost entirely around signing bonuses, with approximately $85.3 million paid in that form and just $4.7 million in total base salary across the five years. Carlsson will pocket nearly $20 million in Year 1 alone.

Carlsson, the No. 2 overall pick back in the 2023 draft, put up 29 goals and 67 points in 70 regular-season games this past year despite dealing with injury. He then added four goals and 11 assists across 12 playoff games as Anaheim reached the postseason for the first time since 2018.

The young Swede expressed no bitterness about the process, acknowledging the business side of the sport while making clear his desire to stay in Anaheim.

"I always wanted to be a Duck. It's my home, too," Carlsson said. "I'm just super excited to be back."

With Carlsson now locked in, the Ducks still face significant roster work. They have already re-signed defenseman Pavel Mintyukov to a five-year deal worth $7.2 million per season, but restricted free agent Cutter Gauthier remains unsigned after his own breakout campaign.

There is still a lot to do in Anaheim, but the revelation that nearly a third of the league was circling Carlsson only reinforces just how high the hockey world's expectations are for the young center, and how far the Ducks willing to go to keep him.