Leo Carlsson

Leo Carlsson (born 26 December 2004) is a Swedish professional ice hockey centre for the Anaheim Ducks of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was drafted second overall by the Ducks in the 2023 NHL entry draft.

Playing career
Carlsson originally played at the youth level with hometown team Färjestad BK before moving to fellow tenured Swedish Hockey League (SHL) team, Örebro HK, for the 2020–21 season. During the 2021–22 season, Carlsson made his professional debut in the SHL as a 17-year-old, posting three goals and six assists in 35 regular season games.

In his year of NHL draft eligibility, Carlsson increased his stock in playing exclusively with the senior team in the SHL showing an offensive acumen in securing a scoring line role among Örebro HK for the 2022–23 season. Bob McKenzie referred to Carlsson as a "blue-chip" prospect in the 2023 NHL Entry Draftt.

On 28 June 2023, Carlsson was drafted second overall by the Anaheim Ducks in the 2023 draft. He signed a three-year, entry-level contract with the Ducks on 12 July. On 10 October, Carlsson was named to the Ducks' opening night roster for the 2023–24 season after attending the team's training camp. However, he suffered an injury during practice on 6 October, and was unable to play in the Ducks' first two games of the season. Carlsson made his NHL debut on 19 October, scoring a goal in the Ducks' 3–2 loss against the Dallas Stars. On 10 November, in a 6–3 loss to the Philadelphia Flyers, Carlsson became the youngest player in Ducks franchise history to record a hat-trick, at 18 years and 319 days old.

International play
Carlsson represented Sweden junior team in the 2023 World Junior Championships. In May 2023, it was announced that Carlsson would play for Sweden senior team in the 2023 IIHF World Championship.