Do you remember the last contract supernova? It was 276 days ago that Kirill Kaprizov extended in Minnesota for $17 million per year. That was huge, yes. But, somehow, it seems pale in comparison to the nuclear fallout dropping from Philadelphia’s Leo Carlsson offer-sheet, making him (for now) the league’s highest-paid player: $18 million a year.

Five years, not the current maximum of eight. A restricted free-agent, not unrestricted, unencumbered, as Kaprizov was-to-be. The Flyers (Daniel Briere, Keith Jones, Dan Hilferty, cap guru Barry Hanrahan); Carlsson and his father/son agents (Matt & Ryan Keator) rotated the league on its axis. 

Everything is different, now. 

I believe only once in the cap era has a player in his fourth season had the highest salary in the league. That was Mitch Marner, $16 million in 2019-20. Including his bonus, Carlsson will be at $21 million next season. That’s gobsmacking. 

I can only imagine the reactions in Chicago (Connor Bedard) and Columbus (Adam Fantilli). Those teams probably sent Brinks trucks to their houses. (I don’t believe for a second San Jose would ever let Macklin Celebrini reach next July first unsigned, and there’s a less-than-zero chance now.)

32 Thoughts: The PodcastHockey fans already know the name, but this is not the blog. From Sportsnet, 32 Thoughts: The Podcast with NHL Insider Elliotte Friedman and Kyle Bukauskas is a weekly deep dive into the biggest news and interviews from the hockey world.Latest episode

32 Thoughts: The Podcast

Hockey fans already know the name, but this is not the blog. From Sportsnet, 32 Thoughts: The Podcast with NHL Insider Elliotte Friedman and Kyle Bukauskas is a weekly deep dive into the biggest news and interviews from the hockey world.

That might be the biggest change. Teams believed that, at this point in a player’s career, they had the hammer. That’s no longer the case. Now, it is: “What happened to Anaheim........

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