How Cutter Gauthier Can Help the Flyers Land Leo Carlsson

July 6, 2026 · Yahoo Sports

IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters ConnectIMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Most Philadelphia Flyers fans probably aren’t the biggest fans of Cutter Gauthier. But he could help the team that drafted him land a No. 1 center.

When Flyers GM Danny Briere gave Leo Carlsson a 5-year, $90 million, $18 million AAV offer sheet, it wasn’t because Carlsson is an $18 million-a-year player. It’s a strategic number. Cap space for the Anaheim Ducks was not an issue until it became one.

Visit mchezo.life for more information.

The Ducks entered the summer with $30+ million in cap space with a handful of RFAs to sign. Olen Zellweger was traded, but Carlsson, Gauthier, and Pavel Mintyukov still needed new deals.

As we mentioned in our breakdown of the Ducks’ cap space, if they decided to match the Carlsson offer sheet, which the Flyers most certainly exceeded the expected value, they’d still have ~$17 million this season for Gauthier and Mintyukov’s new deal, plus resigning Gauthier.

The threat of another offer sheet led to Mintyukov securing a 5-year deal worth $7.2 million annually. That is bad news for the Ducks, and good news for the Flyers. If they decide to match the Carlsson offer sheet, the Ducks will have $9,973,395 in projected cap space, per PuckPedia, to resign Gauthier and one more roster player.

It’s getting tight now.

This story is “How Cutter Gauthier can help the Flyers land their No. 1 C, Leo Carlsson.” Let’s talk about how.

How Cutter Gauthier can Help the Flyers Land Cutter Gauthier

While Gauthier, a 10.2(C) RFA, is ineligible for an offer sheet, he can still demand a high deal or request a trade (again). The 21/22-year-old scored 41 goals and 69 points in 76 games in his second career NHL season. He was a point-per-game-player for the Ducks in the playoffs with 4 goals and 12 points in 12 games.

He’s a natural-born scorer with an absolute sniper for a shot, while also playing with some toughness and physicality. Love him or hate him, he’s a real damn good hockey player. He’s going to want to get paid like one.

RFAs of his ability in the past have been paid somewhere in that $8-10 million range annually. With the way the cap is rising, that could lean a little higher, maybe towards the $12 million area as a peak. With Carlsson set to count towards $18 million off the cap next year no matter where he is, that could only drive Gauthier’s price up.

If the Ducks match the Carlsson offer sheet, they may not have enough money for Gauthier.

Of course, it could be as simple as trading a player with one or two years left on their deal, like Mikael Granlund, Chris Kreider, or Alex Killorn, who all make $6.25 million or more annually. But they also each play big roles on the Ducks, and they would then have to replace them in the lineup, too, and may not have the money there.

Frank Vatrano makes $4,571,189 annually, but again, you still have to add someone to take his place in the lineup, and that may not be enough money to do so.

They have only 6 defensemen under contract, so they cannot trade one. Trading either backup goalie does nothing, with their small cap hits.

It should have never been a choice between Gauthier or Carlsson for the Ducks this summer. But somehow, it’s looking like it could become that. GM Pat Verbeek still has until Friday to figure this out and give the Flyers their answer on Carlsson, but there is no clear solution. That is, unless Gauthier decides to take a short-term, team-friendly bridge deal.

So, does Gauthier really hate the Flyers enough to shortchange himself by a few million over the next season or two, or does he negotiate for the $10M+ AAV contract he deserves?

Gauthier has become a very important player to the Flyers this summer, and has the chance to help them land the 1C they have long been in search of.

The post How Cutter Gauthier Can Help the Flyers Land Leo Carlsson appeared first on Philly Hockey Now.

Read full story at source