By now, most people have heard about the Philadelphia Flyers and their offer sheet for Anaheim Ducks star center Leo Carlsson. Carlsson recently signed a five-year offer sheet from the Flyers, guaranteeing him an average annual value of $18M per season -- the highest paid player in the NHL.
If the Ducks decide to let Carlsson go, they'll receive four of Philadelphia's first round picks as recompense. That said, if they choose to keep him, they'll be on the hook for the next five years while walking Carlsson right to unrestricted free agency.
It's a lose-lose for Anaheim no matter how they slice it.
But what does this have to do with the Detroit Red Wings? What can Steve Yzerman learn from this?
It's quite simple: with the genie out of the proverbial bottle, Yzerman now has an extremely powerful weapon at his disposal.
Offer sheet candidates the Red Wings can target
Offer sheets are kind of like a poison pill for the receiving team. They're typically front-loaded with bonuses, keeping teams cap strapped for at least a few years before evening out. By then, however, the player is typically walked straight to free agency, giving them an easy out if they choose to take it.
As far as restricted free agents go, there are still a few game-changers the Red Wings can target. The most obvious of them, of course, is winger Jason Robertson, who has been targeted by the Red Wings in the past, but there are two others that are absolutely intriguing: Adam Fantilli of the Columbus Blue Jackets and Connor Bedard of the Chicago Blackhawks.
Both teams are likely more than keen on matching deals. That said, the Blue Jackets have a much shorter runway as they still have to extend Cole Sillinger and de facto starting netminder Jet Greaves. If the Red Wings were to offer a high, high premium for Fantilli, they might not be able to match without making additional moves.
Here's the kicker: the Blue Jackets have 10 different players on some form of no-trade clause or no movement clause. This limits their options for transactions and backs them into a corner. If Steve Yzerman hopes to recoup a top center from the Dylan Larkin fallout, this might be their best bet.
Yzerman needs to stay on defensive with offer sheets
That said, Steve Yzerman needs to keep an eye out for offer sheets coming in from other teams, as well. Simon Edvinsson still hasn't signed a contract extension, making him vulnerable to a potential offer sheet. Next season, they'll have to worry about Marco Kasper and Albert Johansson.
While Kasper and Johansson might not carry the high-end salary Edvinsson will command, an offer sheet around their salary range would offer the Red Wings a middling return as opposed to what those players can provide.
Ultimately, if Yzerman wants to use an offer sheet, he should be aware of the ramifications before pulling the trigger. There's no telling when a team might swoop in while the Red Wings are vulnerable now or in the future.
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