Flyers News & Rumors: Carlsson, Giroux, & Arbitration Filings

After July 1, the NHL offseason usually begins to wind down, and teams cement their rosters. But the Philadelphia Flyers had other plans last Friday, tendering a record-setting offer sheet to Anaheim Ducks center Leo Carlsson. Anaheim has until July 10 to match the Flyers’ five-year, $18 million cap-hit offer, or else he will join the Orange and Black. The compensation is four first-round picks from 2027 to 2030.

Let’s dive into the latest on Carlsson, a big free agency signing that wasn’t to be, and some arbitration filings.

Latest on the Leo Carlsson Offer Sheet

Four days after the initial offer sheet, we still don’t know what direction the Ducks will take here. It’s anyone’s guess, but for my own sanity, I’m assuming that Carlsson is staying in Anaheim.

Sportsnet insider Elliotte Friedman spoke on the situation in the season-ending episode of 32 Thoughts: The Podcast. According to him, he believes the Ducks had an annual offer of about $12.5 million, and that there was a counter offer of around $15 million per year. Anaheim balked at that price, not realizing what they were getting into. Presumably not long after, the Flyers stepped in.

There have been some insights over the past few days, but the Ducks’ decision is only known to them at this time.

If I can offer my own personal thoughts, the Flyers need Carlsson a lot more than the Ducks do. Anaheim, much like Philadelphia, has two young, potential top-line wingers in Cutter Gauthier and Beckett Sennecke. However, the Ducks also have a long-term No. 1 defenseman in Jackson LaCombe, a stronger prospect pool (if you’re excluding Porter Martone from the Flyers), a better drafting track record, and much less money invested in a veteran core.

The way I see it, the Ducks can afford to let Carlsson go because they have done a lot of things well during their rebuild. The Flyers cannot afford for this offer sheet to be matched because their need for a No. 1 center is dire. They can always pivot, but it’s probably too late in the offseason for that.

Giroux Re-Signs With Senators

Moments after the Carlsson offer sheet was announced, insider David Pagnotta posted via Twitter/X, “Meanwhile… Claude Giroux is signing with the Flyers.” However, the 38-year-old forward re-signed with the Ottawa Senators on Monday, July 6.

Pagnotta owned up to the mistake—this is not to rub salt in the wound—but merely to point out that Flyers fans thought this was a done deal. But it was not to be.

While it would have been interesting and objectively improved the middle six, a Giroux reunion would have complicated a forward group that already has too many bodies. In the playoffs, head coach Rick Tocchet healthy-scratched Alex Bump and Matvei Michkov on several occasions. Another player who commands top-nine minutes is a good thing, sure, but the kids should be priority No. 1.

The Senators can get more use out of Giroux than the Flyers can, anyway. He was an important player for them last season, recording 49 points, putting up encouraging relative adjusted plus/minus (RAPM) numbers, and leading the league in faceoff percentage (minimum 200 attempts).

As for the Flyers, the implications here aren’t great. If the Ducks match the Carlsson offer sheet, this summer will have been one big letdown. Philadelphia may deserve kudos for trying, but “trying” doesn’t cut it. Results do.

Whether it was buying or selling, the Flyers needed to do something. Simply acquiring depth may as well be nothing at all. After all, multiple beat reporters said that the summer of 2026 would be a huge one for this team. The Orange and Black are at the mercy of Verbeek and the Ducks until fans are left with the complete opposite.

Jamie Drysdale & Trevor Zegras File for Arbitration

On July 5, it was announced that two key Flyers restricted free agents (RFAs) filed for salary arbitration: Jamie Drysdale and Trevor Zegras. Hearings will run from July 20 to Aug. 1, according to NHL.com.

If the Ducks don’t match the Carlsson offer sheet, the Flyers will have just $11.6 million to spend on the two players. But that shouldn’t be much of a worry. Adding Carlsson down the middle should mean that a forward is moved anyway—perhaps someone like Noah Cates or Owen Tippett, who would free up $4 million and $6.2 million in annual salary, respectively.

In any case, there’s no real risk here for the Flyers. Filing for arbitration means that Drysdale and Zegras can’t be offer-sheeted by another club. So, the Orange and Black are in a comfortable position on this front, even in the event that the Ducks elect not to match the Carlsson offer sheet.

At the end of this week, the Flyers could be in one of two positions. In the first, they finally have their 1C, checking off the most elusive box during this rebuild. In the second, they’re back where they started, risking a middle-of-the-standings finish in 2026-27. Considering how much other Eastern Conference teams improved their rosters during the summer, Philadelphia may find itself missing the playoffs.