The player drafted right after Connor Bedard is about to make his NHL debut to a fraction of the fanfare, and that’s more than fine with Leo Carlsson. While he sat out the Anaheim Ducks’ first two games of the season with a minor injury, Carlsson was aware of the hockey world’s massive celebration of Bedard’s arrival with the Chicago Blackhawks.
Anaheim Ducks center Leo Carlsson controls the puck against Los Angeles Kings Trevor Lewis during the third period of a preseason NHL hockey game Tuesday, Oct. 3, 2023, in Los Angeles. Anaheim Ducks center Leo Carlsson controls the puck against Los Angeles Kings Trevor Lewis during the third period of a preseason NHL hockey game Tuesday, Oct. 3, 2023, in Los Angeles.
The international hype around Carlsson is infinitely more subdued than the buzz around Bedard, and that’s no surprise. Although Carlsson’s skills were advanced and obvious to anybody watching him in Sweden, the lanky 6-foot-3 forward wasn’t even guaranteed to get a chance in North America this year. Greg Cronin, the Ducks’ first-year coach, got his job a few weeks before Anaheim general manager Pat Verbeek bucked conventional wisdom and chose Carlsson over polished American center Adam Fantilli, who went third to Columbus.
Carlsson rejoined the Ducks in practice this week, and Cronin put him at the center of their top line between Troy Terry and Trevor Zegras, Anaheim’s two most accomplished young forwards. The trio could be together for many years, and Carlsson has begun the process of growing into a two-way center capable of making every teammate better.
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