The Leo Carlsson contract has claimed another victim.
The Anaheim Ducks placed Chris Kreider on unconditional waivers for purposes of contract termination Wednesday to alleviate the tight salary cap situation caused by Carlsson’s $18 million cap hit.
Kreider hitting waivers was first reported by Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman.
Kreider, who has just one season remaining on his current contract at a $6.5 million cap hit (only $4 million would still be owed thanks to signing bonuses), approved the move and intends to return to the East Coast to be closer to family. He will become an unrestricted free agent if he clears waivers after 48 hours. Kreider will not report if a team claims him that he does not want to play for.
According to Carlsson, there are no hard feelings between the two despite the direct correlation. “Chris, he’s leaving, but he’s also really happy for me, as well,” Carlsson said, per The Athletic’s Mark Lazerus. “It’s a hard business.”
The burden of Carlsson’s salary put Anaheim in a difficult spot, with just $9 million remaining to extend fellow star restricted free agent Cutter Gauthier. Last season, Gauthier scored 41 goals compared to Carlsson’s 29, and recorded 69 points to his 67. The Ducks now have $15.5 million in cap space, a much better spot to negotiate with their other top contributor.
Carlsson’s contract, which came from Anaheim matching the Philadelphia Flyers‘ summer offer sheet, has sent shockwaves through the NHL and massively impacted the market. Since his then-highest salary in league history, Macklin Celebrini has signed for $18.8 million AAV, and Cale Makar has signed for $20.4 million AAV to take the top spots.
Despite the near-chaos it has created in free agency, Carlsson said player reaction has been positive. “Players are thanking me,” he says.
Carlsson told Sportsnet’s Sean Reynold during the NHL Player Media Tour in Vegas that he knew the effect his contract would have, but that he didn’t consider it heavily in his decision. “[It] was obviously a huge deal for the league,” he said. “But I didn’t really think much about that, at that time.”
Just as Kreider has well wishes for Carlsson, Carlsson had kind things to say to his (at the time, likely) departing teammate. “I love him,” he said of Kreider. “I’ll miss him for sure. He’s gonna have a great time wherever he goes; his team is going to love him.”
