Matthew & Brady Tkachuk Think $18M for Carlsson Is An ‘Underpay’ Bargain

Now that the dust has settled on Leo Carlsson Offer Sheet-Gate, observers around hockey are weighing in on the $18 million salary that the Anaheim Ducks young center will be earning on his new contract. 

Not surprisingly, fellow NHL players are quite pleased with the huge payday that Carlsson earned. And the Tkachuk brothers, and now teammates, Matthew and Brady, feel that Carlsson's $18M will be "an underpay."

“18 million’s going to be an underpay.”

Matthew and Brady think $18M annually for Leo Carlsson is well worth the investment 💸👀 pic.twitter.com/8SKhKzrjBo

— Wingmen with Matthew and Brady Tkachuk (@Wingmenpod) July 8, 2026

"It's not an overpay whatsoever," Brady said. "Unbelievable (player), comes as advertised. $18 million’s probably going to be an underpay. That's how good this player is... That's a well-deserved price where this game's going."

Matthew Tkachuk says the Carlsson contract is a game-changer

"Yeah, for sure," Matthew added. "It's definitely one of those deals that changes the outlook for everybody else in the NHL for years to come.'

Of course, Brady, who is only 12 months away from being eligible for an extension, can almost taste those massive big bucks. Big bro Matthew still has another four years to run on his deal, so he won't be eligible to start talking about those big numbers until the summer of 2029. But imagine what the dollars will be like by then with the soaring salary cap. 

To be clear, neither of the Tkachuk brothers are starving right now. Brady makes $8.2 million annually for the next two years, while Matthew is at a $9.5 million AAV through to 2030. 

As for the offer sheet development in general, Brady spoke on that as well. 

"You just don't see it that often. You had two this summer... It's just great. I know the cap's rising and I feel that every team's mindset has changed. There was always an unspoken 'don't do that,' but it's all about just making your team better."