Anaheim Ducks have secured Leo Carlsson with a five-year deal worth 90 million dollars after matching a Philadelphia Flyers offer. The contract makes the 20-year-old the highest-paid player in the NHL.
The Ducks' decision came after the Flyers submitted a record bid for the forward. Carlsson, who previously played in Sweden, will remain with Anaheim through at least 2031.
Simon Forsmark, a defenseman for Timrå and a longtime friend of Carlsson from their days in Örebro HK's junior program, reacted positively to the news. "Det är väldigt coolt. Jag fick faktiskt rysningar när man läste det på sociala medier," he told ST.
Forsmark added that Carlsson stood out even as a teenager. "Han stack ut. Det året som vi egentligen började umgås på riktigt märkte man att han var något extra," he said. He concluded that Carlsson deserves the money: "Jag tycker han är värd alla pengar han kan få."
