Ducks match Flyers' offer sheet for Carlsson; Briere finally 'speaks'

The kitchen sink drama of the week reached its anti-climax on Thursday afternoon, when the Anaheim Ducks officially announced the club matched a $90 million, 5-year offer sheet tendered by the Philadelphia Flyers on July 3 to restricted free agent center Leo Carlsson. 

"Matching the offer sheet was an easy decision, as Pat (GM Verbeek) has intelligently left enough cap space to give us the ability to retain Leo," said Ducks owners Henry and Susan Samueli in the club's official release. "We have extremely high expectations for Leo. We firmly believe he will continue his strong growth trajectory and become one of the truly elite centers in the league, while continuing to make a strong impact on our community."

Anaheim had exactly one week -- until Friday at 3 pm -- to make a decision to either match or let Carlsson walk. If the latter was chosen, the Flyers would have had to forfeit four 1st-round picks in subsequent seasons as compensation. 

At least until future trades involve these slots, the picks are presumed safe.

"I just really hoped they would match," Carlsson said in a team-based post-announcement video media scrum. "It's kind of like an offer that I think ... everybody would sign, too. It's a pretty simple answer. I always wanted to be (in Anaheim) too.

Notably absent from the instant analysis frenzy which accompanied the news, Flyers GM Danny Briere. It is unknown when he would be speaking publicly or privately on the issue, but several beat writers have confirmed there will be a time he will address the issue.

Briere did finally issue a statement through the club early Friday morning, which said: "We understood this outcome was possible when we made the offer. While the result isn't what we'd hoped for, our goal does not change -- we remain committed to pursuing every opportunity that will strengthen our team and continue to build towards becoming a consistent and perennial contender without sacrificing our future."

Verbeek himself added: "It was surprising to say the least, but I actually feel flattered in the sense that Philadelphia wanted such a great player. It means that we're doing a very good job on our end. Leo is going to show the elite player he is."

With one of the big free agent fish-on-the-line out of reach, Briere may now set his sights on the other big name in need of a new home -- disgruntled Red Wings center Dylan Larkin. 

Earlier in the offseason, Larkin made his displeasure with GM Steve Yzerman and the franchise known publicly; however, Yzerman is reported to be asking a steep price in trade and is likely to begin the regular season with Larkin in the fold.

Regardless, although the remainder of the summer lies ahead, the Flyers do not have a current lock at the 1C position despite investing more than $25M over 5 years on Christian Dvorak.

Briere reignites rivalry with Ducks, signs Carlsson to offer sheet

Just before the Friday afternoon news dump, and just prior to the long Fourth of July weekend where any news would be memory-holed, Flyers GM Danny Briere announced that the club had inked restricted free agent forward Leo Carlsson of the Anaheim Ducks to an offer sheet worth a reported $90 million over 5 seasons carrying an $18 million average annual value.

Carlsson, 21, finished his third NHL season -- all with Anaheim -- by striking for career highs in goals (29), assists (38) and points (67) over 70 games for the SoCal franchise.

The Ducks now have one week to decide whether or not to match the deal or let Carlsson walk. Ducks GM Pat Verbeek had publicly stated that he intends to match any offer tendered to any free agent. If he does, the emerging club retains one of its cornerstone prospects but sets in motion a high-end target for other future young free agents which may unravel the young core despite an increased cap.

Should Verbeek blink and decide against it, the Flyers would surrender their next 4 first-round picks as compensation. As of now, that would be one selection in the 2027 draft, then two more in the 2028 draft and another in 2029. 

For the Flyers, that would certainly lock in Carlsson as a legitimate first-line center. However, it would also call into question which veteran players would likely be moved in a trade, while also leaving up in the air the question of Trevor Zegras' pending contract status. Zegras, who was shuttled back and forth between center and wing during his first year in Philadelphia, just finished up a 3-year contract worth $5.75M AAV. 

One Bobby is enough in this town

by Bob Herpen
Phanatic Hockey Editor

So you want Bobby Ryan as a member of the Philadelphia Flyers, eh?

You want that durable 30-goal, 60-point presence, those matinee-idol looks, and that local pedigree to fuel an inevitable Stanley Cup success story?

Ask yourself one question, while you're filing away the million infallible reasons of cap space and chemistry to bring about another roster gutting to acquire his services inside the windmills of your mind.

Why would Bobby Ryan want to come to Philadelphia?

Let's not forget that while the 25-year-old's path initially seemed destined for one of those hometown-boy-does-good Mitch Albom-type narratives, this whole mess between his parents happened. 

Ryan, born Robert Shane Stevenson (coincidentally on the day the 1986-87 Flyers clinched the Patrick Division title with a win over the Rangers), has settled down to a successful professional life with the Anaheim Ducks 3,000 miles away from where all the trouble began.

So what if Ryan's father, now rehabilitated, worked in the Cherry Hill-based gym run by Flyers senior vice president Bob Clarke?

Anyone who has either been in a situation between one's parents that involved divorce because of sexual or violent action or knows someone who has, can recognize that Clarke (and by extension the Flyers organization) may be able to act like the caring uncle, but it only reaches so far, the nuturing distraction of the game itself impermanent.

No matter how long the time between that madness and now, eventually existing in the physical location where it all occurred will trigger something in his consciousness. Never underestimate the psychic scars left on children, whose minds are like sponges, and on the imprint events like these leave later in life. It's not a fair burden, even if publicly Ryan might say he's come to terms with it.

Compound that with the fact that the certain media acts as it does, and certain segments of this fan base react to extremes made infamous by British tabloids such as the defunct News of the World, how can a scenario emerge where Ryan's growth isn't stunted?

In our grandparents' time, the pride of Crescentville, Phillies star Del Ennis, bore the brunt of the Philadelphia attitude that pretty damn good just wasn't good enough. Ennis took that to heart, and carried the bitterness over treatment by the vocal cords of his own people to his grave.

How can you convince yourselves you won't be hard on the boy when the chips are down? Forgetting that Ennis' troubles happened in the 50's, how about the public stocks figuratively erected upon the Twitter mention that James van Riemsdyk (from Monmouth County, NJ -- not Flyers country) was holding up surgery to avoid a trade, or that he would accept a deal to Columbus if one was presented?

Y'all can't have it both ways. Can't wish the front office keeps all the bright young forwards but then turn around and start playing armchair GM and triage specialist the second the possibility someone like Ryan is on the market.

Some athletes thrive in the competitive, pressure-packed environments of Northeast cities, some don't. Bobby Ryan gets a pass, and for good reason as far as Philly is concerned.

He's doing just fine where he is and you should wish him well in the environment which has fostered his talent and soothed his soul so far.