Leo Carlsson News

The Ducks said the move is not performance based as they are aiming to ease the 18-year-old's workload early in the season. The second overall pick in last summer's NHL Entry Draft has impressed in his two games so far this season. He's scored one goal on six shots on goal and is playing over 20 minutes a night, so it perhaps shouldn't be a surprise that Anaheim is expressing caution by sitting their budding superstar on the tail-end of a back-to-back. Fantasy managers can expect Carlsson to return the lineup for Tuesday's game in Columbus.

Karlsson had been forced to miss Anaheim's first two games of the season due to a lower-body injury but will make his debut Thursday vs. Dallas. The 18-year-old forward was the second overall pick in the 2023 draft after watching his stock skyrocket throughout the season. He had 10 goals, 15 assists, six PIMs and a -5 plus/minus in 44 games with Orebro HK (SHL) in 2022-23.

This is a promising sign as Carlsson looks poised to make his NHL debut imminently. Carlsson was the second overall pick for the Ducks in the 2023 NHL Entry Draft after scoring 25 points (10G / 15A) as an 18-year-old in the Swedish Hockey League. The talented young center will likely slide into a top-6 role when he is deemed fit to play.