The Anaheim Ducks have a record of 11-3-1 (23 points) and sit atop the Pacific Division for the first time since 2021. They’ve won seven straight games, and they look like one of the best teams in the league. They’re getting offensive production from every player in the lineup, the team is playing sound, disciplined hockey, and goaltender Lukas Dostal has made the saves he’s been asked to make.
With the Ducks, there have been two notable names that have been producing every night for them. One being Cutter Gauthier, and the other being Leo Carlsson, who is emerging as the team’s number one center and turning into a star in this league.
LEO CARLSSON! 🔥
— NHL (@NHL) November 9, 2025
He extends his point streak to NINE GAMES! pic.twitter.com/mseu4uMy0c
So far this season, Carlsson has 25 points (10 goals, 15 assists) in 15 games played, becoming the fifth-fastest player in NHL history to reach 25 points in a season at age 20 or younger. He is currently riding a 10-game point streak, recording 19 points in that span, and has recorded at least one point in 13 of the 15 games played this season. He was also just named one of the three stars of the week from Nov. 3-9, recording nine points during the week. He’s starting to become the player that the Ducks hoped he’d turn into when they drafted him second overall in the 2023 NHL Entry Draft.
Two-Way Game Has Emerged
Carlsson is a big-bodied centerman who has learned to use his size. Listed at 6-foot-3, 208 pounds, he is not afraid to take the puck to the net, protect it in the corners, and even be physical in his own zone. Players of his size usually do not have Carlsson’s hands, edge work, or ability to maneuver in tight spaces, and blend it with his defensive impact on the game; that’s a dangerous player.
Where his two-way game has really stood out is in this surge of offensive production; he has held steady on defense. Sometimes, when 35-45-point players have a breakout offensive season, they become a defensive liability. Not Carlsson.
According to Evolving Hockey, Carlsson ranks in the 96th percentile in offense but in the 15th percentile in defense. That is because, short-handed, his goals above replacement (GAR) and expected goals above replacement (xGAR) are below negative six. His even strength GAR and xGAR are both over zero.
Carlsson has developed the ability to be one step ahead of everyone on the ice, both offensively and defensively, giving him a massive advantage over most players. Also, his ability to break up defensive plays, turn up the ice, start a quick breakout in transition, and generate a good scoring opportunity has been superb.
Carlsson Is a Star in the Making
Carlsson is on a great development track to start his career. Already in his third season, with 146 games played, he is quickly gaining experience as a 20-year-old playing at a high level in the league. In his rookie season, he produced 29 points in 55 games; last season, he produced 45 points in 76 games, including his first 20-goal season; and now, this season, his 82-game pace is 136 points, which would be a Ducks franchise record.
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His blend of vision, size, poise, and confidence has made him a nightmare matchup for opposing players and teams, and he’s only going to get better as his career progresses. He’s not just scoring or making insane plays; he’s dictating the play, controlling the tempo, and elevating not only his game but also those of his teammates.
What separates Carlsson from other top picks isn’t just his skill — it’s his poise. He plays like a veteran center with 500 games under his belt, not a 20-year-old still adjusting to the NHL grind. His decision-making under pressure is surgical. Whether he’s absorbing contact along the wall or threading a puck through a collapsing penalty kill, Carlsson rarely forces plays. He waits, reads, and executes.
And the numbers back it up. According to Natural Stat Trick, Carlsson leads all Ducks forwards in high-danger scoring chances created per 60 minutes and ranks in the top 10 leaguewide in controlled zone entries. His expected goals-for percentage sits at 63.16%, a staggering number for a player logging top-line minutes against elite competition.
What’s most exciting? Carlsson still has room to grow. His shot is improving, but it’s not yet a weapon. His faceoff numbers are climbing, but not to elite levels. And he’s just beginning to tap into his physicality, using his frame to shield pucks and win battles, but not yet imposing his will like he could. If this is Carlsson’s floor for the rest of his career, then his ceiling is absolutely terrifying.
