The story here isn’t just the number. It’s the reaction from two star players who didn’t blink at a five-year contract carrying an $18 million cap hit.

Philadelphia made the move earlier this summer with a massive offer sheet, and Anaheim matched it. That decision immediately pushed Carlsson into a different tier of league-wide conversation.

A lot of fans saw sticker shock. Brady Tkachuk didn’t.

“$18 million it’s not an overpay whatsoever,” said Brady on the podcast. “Unbelievable, he comes as advertised, $18 million is probably going to be an underpay.”

Matthew Tkachuk didn’t take long to jump in either.

“Yeah for sure,” he said, backing his younger brother without any hesitation.

Fans quickly hopped on the Tkachuk’s brothers’ bad side, to say the least.

“Nobody cares about these goofs”

That’s what makes this worth watching. Two elite NHL voices aren’t treating Carlsson’s contract like a reach. They’re treating it like the new price of elite talent.

The bigger issue for Anaheim and the league in Leo Carlsson’s contract

Matthew pushed it even further when the discussion turned to what Anaheim would have received by walking away from the offer sheet.

“He’s worth 8 first rounders,” said Matthew. “Maybe even more.”

That line says plenty about how Carlsson is viewed around the league. This isn’t framed as a gamble by the players talking about it. It’s framed as a player you keep at any cost.

Matthew also pointed to the fallout that could come next.

“It’s definitely one of those types of deals that kind of changes the outlook for everybody else in the NHL for years to come,” he said.

And that’s the real hook here. Carlsson’s contract isn’t just about Anaheim protecting a centerpiece down the middle. It may have just moved the market for the next wave of top-end young stars.