The Anaheim Ducks came into the 2026 summer on the back of their most successful season in the past six years, and with a young, promising core, the outlook of the franchise was very, very positive after they took down their division rival Edmonton Oilers in round one of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
In just a few short weeks however, everything has changed, and on Friday, that change went nuclear when star center Leo Carlsson officially signed a five-year, $18 million AAV offer sheet from the Philadelphia Flyers.
This puts General Manager Pat Verbeek in a very difficult situation after he proclaimed any offer sheet on Carlsson this summer would be met, and now, the Ducks may have another situation on their hands.
Pavel Mintyukov Presented With an Offer Sheet
GettyPavel Mintyukov of the Anaheim Ducks.
Given the ramifications of an offer sheet of this magnitude that will make Carlsson the highest paid player in the NHL one way or another, it’s safe to say that the Ducks have their hands full over the next seven days.
Just hours after the Flyers made it official on social media however, word began spreading that another offer sheet could be handed out on the day, with many immediately turning to Jason Robertson and Connor Bedard as potential targets. In even more shocking circumstances, it was then reported by PuckPedia that an offer sheet had instead been presented to another young Anaheim Duck, naming Pavel Mintyukov as a player that’s been tendered an offer sheet.
Could This Summer Turn Disastrous in Anaheim?
Before free agency, the Anaheim Ducks traded both Olen Zellweger and Mason McTavish, and while the returns were solid, they were certainly moves that were meant to help the franchise moving forward. Unfortunately, it now seemingly leaves some major gaps on the roster, and with the decision on not one, but two offer sheets (if Mintyukov were to sign it), that could turn the summer from a promising one into a downright disaster.
Until we have the details on the offer sheet, it’s unclear whether or not it would be in Mintyukov’s best interest to sign it, but given the pressure on the Ducks following the Carlsson move, he could impact this franchise long-term by signing the offer sheet. This past year was another solid showing for the 22-year-old defenseman, as he posted 8 goals and 22 points across 73 games played, and with the loss of Jacob Trouba and Zellweger, he’s expected to play a much bigger role in 2026/27.
Now, it’s unclear where he’ll be playing that role, as Mintyukov signing an offer sheet (depending on the price) could utterly cripple the Ducks depending on how the situation with Carlsson plays out.
Simply put, things around the National Hockey League have gotten crazy and chaotic over the past three weeks, and with fans wanting to see drama back in the league, it’s safe to say that we haven’t seen this much unpredictability through the off-season and free agency period in a long, long time.
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