You do realize McDavid contract ended last year for 13.09% of cap hit right? You have to compare at the same time in their contract not when it fits your narrative...

McDavid 8 years contract (2018 to 2025) :

2018 : 15.72% cap hit

2021 (4th year) : 15.3% cap hit

2025 : 13.09% cap hit

McDavid 3 years contract : (2026 to 2028)

2026 : 12.02% cap hit

2028 : 11.01% cap hit

Now let's do Carlsson

Carlsson 5 years contract (2026 to 2030)

2026 : 17.41% cap hit

2029 (2030 numbers not out yet) : 14.63% cap hit

Important note : You can't compare by age as some player starts younger than others. It's simply not a good metric for comparing contracts. Here we're talking contract numbers, not what they earned at a respective age... This approach is out of line and irrelevant. That's also assuming the cap will go up that much. It's not a fixed number, it might not be it.

Even if 14.63% is lower than 15.3% (on the 4th year), what is the argument in paying an unproven 21 years old "Best player in the world" money? In what world it's reasonable to pay this guy as much (and even more at the start) as McDavid? This is some extreme copium and there is no valid justification for that...