Leo Carlsson's Dominant Two-Way Play Propels Anaheim Ducks to Division Lead

Leo Carlsson's emergence as a franchise player has transcended the Anaheim Ducks, who are now leading their division. The 20-year-old top-line center is near the top of the NHL's scoring list, tied for third with Connor Bedard and Macklin Celebrini. Drafted second overall in 2023, Carlsson has developed into an impactful two-way presence, likened to Aleksander Barkov or Auston Matthews, combining size, skating, and intelligence. His physical pace now matches his defensive intentions, and he excels at carrying the puck, utilizing teammates, and is a lethal dual-threat power forward in the offensive zone with a heavy shot and good vision. Advanced metrics highlight his dominance, with low offensive zone starts (16.7%) and high defensive zone starts (16.9%) among top scorers, alongside a 61% Corsi and 59% Fenwick, and a 56% on-ice expected goals percentage.