Confirmed Trade: [TOR/BOS] Brandon Carlo (15% retained) for Fraser Minten, cond. 2026 1st round pick (top 5 protected), 2025 4th round pick

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Quite an interesting thread so far.

Carlo is exactly what the Leafs needed. There's a reason why the Bruins were successful for as many years as they were with Carlo on their roster and Carlo was one of those reasons. Carlo is a playoffs built dman.

I'm perhaps one of Minten's biggest advocates, I believe he is (was) Toronto's best prospect. He might never be the most productive player but I see a Danault type upside in him. While I don't think he'll ever be a true second line centre, I think he's got potential to be a really good middle 6 centre.

I believe this to be the best trade made by the Leafs in decades. I love their trade deadline moves.

Hopefully they face the Panthers in the first round and lost in 7 though.
Actually much of Carlos success over the years was directly related to how well all his forwards played 200ft game. One of the biggest reasons he’s fallen off this year is the lack of support from any forward not named Marchand . It would be wise to stick him with 2 way forwards as much as possible or get ready to see him hemmed in like a headless chicken with the puck.
 
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Would you like to explain how my post saying no one thinks we got some amazing player is hypocrisy in the context of my post saying I didn't like the player?
Likely by your visceral reaction about how much he sucks before the trade and now he fills a need. Its not consistent, even you can see that.
 
Likely by your visceral reaction about how much he sucks before the trade and now he fills a need. Its not consistent, even you can see that.

We will see how he does. It is not hypocritical to say that? I don't like the player but if the ask is to be a #4 RD and help our penalty kill I think he can do that if he finds his game again.

Bruins fans were saying he was a top pairing dman last few seasons FYI
 
Actually much of Carlos success over the years was directly related to how well all his forwards played 200ft game. One of the biggest reasons he’s fallen off this year is the lack of support from any forward not named Marchand . It would be wise to stick him with 2 way forwards as much as possible or get ready to see him hemmed in like a headless chicken with the puck.

He will likely be paired with Rielly or OEL, so he shouldn’t be the one responsible for the breakout. Most of the Leafs forwards are defensively responsible.
 
What are you trying to convey here? I am not a fan of the player, but no one is pretending we got some stud that is carrying the team. He's filling a role we have a need for and is cheap.
I just thought your reaction would be different considering how aghast you were at a eerily similar offer not that long ago.
Are you sure we overpaid? There's a major shortage of good right-handed shot defensemen—that's just the market price. Even Luke Schenn returned a 2nd and a 4th.

Even if Carlo has regressed and has zero offense, I would argue that a #4 RD who’s 28 and has three years of term at just 3.5 m is worth a 1st-round pick plus a prospect. There are literally no good right-handed defensemen available. Only Carlo and Schenn were available that were top 4.
Carlo at his peak was a high end 4 in the sense where he can’t really carry a 2nd pairing but can definitely help stabilize it even with a risky partner a la Krug. The two years prior he had more defensive starts than any other dman in the league and like a top 10 GF%. This year there has definitely been some big regression yet it didn’t seem to affect his cost as much as I expected. If he doesn’t turn it around it’s a pretty bad overpayment, if he does it’s pretty fair.
 
We will see how he does. It is not hypocritical to say that? I don't like the player but if the ask is to be a #4 RD and help our penalty kill I think he can do that if he finds his game again.

Bruins fans were saying he was a top pairing dman last few seasons FYI
He was definitely a top pair shut down type, Tanev light. He hasn't been this year at all. You need to hope he's better in the playoffs than he has been so far.
 
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He’s the perfect fit for Rielly. We’re stuck with Rielly so we had to do what we had to do.

Rielly-Carlo will be our 2nd pairing - any other year that would’ve been our top pairing, and the best one we had in over a decade, sadly.
 
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I just thought your reaction would be different considering how aghast you were at a eerily similar offer not that long ago.

Carlo at his peak was a high end 4 in the sense where he can’t really carry a 2nd pairing but can definitely help stabilize it even with a risky partner a la Krug. The two years prior he had more defensive starts than any other dman in the league and like a top 10 GF%. This year there has definitely been some big regression yet it didn’t seem to affect his cost as much as I expected. If he doesn’t turn it around it’s a pretty bad overpayment, if he does it’s pretty fair.
If you're saying he peaked as a high end #4 D, what are you saying he is now, a low end #4 or #5?

He was 3rd on TOI for the Bruins in the 2023-2024 playoffs, but I defintley get he has regressed this season. We're going to need him to bounce back.
 
Top four right handed defensemen come at a bit of a premium, particularly ones with term left on their contract. With retention, we'll be paying him $3.49M AAV. Pretty valuable piece for a cap strapped playoff team that has been rebuilding their blueline.

Toronto doesn't have a franchise or capstone piece on the blueline. They'll need to get it done by committee.
 
Giving him a B.

He had 2 glaring needs on team - a 3rd line centre and a top 4 right shot defenceman; he filled both spots, on guys with term that have excellent contracts.

The reason he doesn't get an A from me... comes down to 3 things.

1. The insane amount of assets he had to give up - 2 Firsts, Minten, Grebenkin.
2. The poor return he got on Timmins & Dewar.
3. The fact that while Laughton is likely going to be a 3rd line C, you can't help but get the feeling that the Leafs are still relatively "weak" in this department.

The Avs went out and got both Charlie Coyle & Brock Nelson. The Stars went out and got Mikael Granlund leading up to the deadline. Is Scott Laughton better than Yanni Gourde at this point in their careers? I'm not sure.
 
Giving him a B.

He had 2 glaring needs on team - a 3rd line centre and a top 4 right shot defenceman; he filled both spots, on guys with term that have excellent contracts.

The reason he doesn't get an A from me... comes down to 3 things.

1. The insane amount of assets he had to give up - 2 Firsts, Minten, Grebenkin.
2. The poor return he got on Timmins & Dewar.
3. The fact that while Laughton is likely going to be a 3rd line C, you can't help but get the feeling that the Leafs are still relatively "weak" in this department.

The Avs went out and got both Charlie Coyle & Brock Nelson. The Stars went out and got Mikael Granlund leading up to the deadline. Is Scott Laughton better than Yanni Gourde at this point in their careers? I'm not sure.
he doesnt have to be. he just has to do his job. but like every playoffs, everything hinges on the leafs top 3 guys. if they dont do their jobs than nothing else matters.
 
Giving him a B.

He had 2 glaring needs on team - a 3rd line centre and a top 4 right shot defenceman; he filled both spots, on guys with term that have excellent contracts.

The reason he doesn't get an A from me... comes down to 3 things.

1. The insane amount of assets he had to give up - 2 Firsts, Minten, Grebenkin.
2. The poor return he got on Timmins & Dewar.
3. The fact that while Laughton is likely going to be a 3rd line C, you can't help but get the feeling that the Leafs are still relatively "weak" in this department.

The Avs went out and got both Charlie Coyle & Brock Nelson. The Stars went out and got Mikael Granlund leading up to the deadline. Is Scott Laughton better than Yanni Gourde at this point in their careers? I'm not sure.
Timmins and Dewar are both waiver fodder. Dewar would probably have went unclaimed - absolutely useless player. Colin Blackwell 2.0. Cardio merchant.

Timmins may have been claimed since he has some offence and is a RHD. But he has the game sense and defensive acumen of a beer leaguer. He should not be a regular roster player on any competitive team.

Agreed with not getting a perfect score this TDL, but Tre did very well. For me, a solid A would’ve been if he flipped Domi/Jarnkrok + for another top 6 capable winger.

I’m ok with the inflated price for both Laughton and Carlo. It was definitely a sellers market this TDL, and both Laughton and Carlo came with retention + term. 1 more year for Laughton, 2 more for Carlo. Extremely tired of the same song and dance of wasting futures every TDL for UFAs who play 1 round with us and then leave. At least we can avoid that crap next year for 2 holes which we permanently plugged now.

Laughton as 3C I’m not sold on. But we’ll try it out and worst case he shifts to the wing. He’s definitely a 3rd line capable player who can spot in on the 2W if needed.
 
There was a thread about the value of Brandon Carlo a few days before the Leafs acquired him. It’s pretty crazy to see the contrasts in tones. Leafs paid more or less in line to what people were saying, and he was being described as a big young top 4 RHD who the Bruins would be crazy to give up without overpayment.
 
I hope he does great for you guys. Will always root for guys who play the game the right way, no matter the laundry they wear. He was a good player with and a good locker room guy.
Hope so. Minten seems like he’ll be a good one too. A coyle type player would be a good comparable. He’s never been a big offensive guy. His strongest junior year was a bit over a point per game.
 
Man I liked minten alot. But yea once we got laughton half price. He had no spot. Still wish we didn't pay our 4th line c so much but it's better for minten he was traded. And we helped our d
 
Yeah the net front d man was definitely responsible for the high forward on the second goal as well as a weak tip on the first one. Nailed it big guy.
I try not to feed the trolls. Carlo's been fine. First game in a new system, he'll adjust.

Laughton has looked solid too.
 
I try not to feed the trolls. Carlo's been fine. First game in a new system, he'll adjust.

Laughton has looked solid too.
Laughton was a bit lost on the second goal. Between both guys. Wouldn’t exactly call it his fault though.
 

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