- Matthew and Brady Tkachuk called Leo Carlsson’s record $18 million contract an underpay on their Wingmen podcast
- Carlsson is now the NHL’s highest-paid player after Anaheim matched Philadelphia’s offer sheet
- Read below for what the brothers said and why they think the Ducks landed a bargain
Leo Carlsson just set a new bar for NHL money, and two of the biggest names in the game think the Ducks still underpaid him.
Matthew and Brady Tkachuk broke down Carlsson’s record contract on the latest episode of their Wingmen podcast. Neither brother blinked at the $18 million.
Brady got right to it when Carlsson’s number came up.
“It’s not an overpay whatsoever. Unbelievable player, comes as advertised. $18 million’s probably going to be an underpay. That’s how good this player is. That’s a well-deserved price where this game’s going.”
Watch the Tkachuks make their case:
Matthew went even bigger.
“He’s worth like eight first-rounders. It’s definitely one of those types of deals that kind of changes the outlook for everybody else in the NHL for years to come.”
Carlsson signed for five years and $90 million after the Ducks matched a Flyers offer sheet earlier this week. His $18 million cap hit sits a full million above Kirill Kaprizov, giving the 21-year-old the top salary in the league.
The praise comes with a little self-interest baked in. Brady makes just over $8.2 million and can sign an extension in about a year. Matthew carries a $9.5 million cap hit with four years to go, and both are lined up for raises as the ceiling keeps climbing.
Brady also likes what the whole saga says about the league.
“You just don’t see it that often. You had two this summer. It’s just great. I know the cap’s rising and I feel that every team’s mindset has changed. There was always an unspoken ‘don’t do that,’ but it’s all about just making your team better.”
Now Carlsson has five years in Anaheim to prove the Tkachuk brothers right.
