The Toronto Maple Leafs have been one of the NHL’s most active teams early on this season. After a disappointing 2025-26 season that saw them miss the playoffs, the Maple Leafs have already made two significant moves this offseason.
First, the Maple Leafs traded goalie Joseph Woll and defenseman Simon Benoit to the Philadelphia Flyers in a multi-player trade. Then, the Maple Leafs brought in Darren Raddysh from the Tampa Bay Lightning in a sign-and-trade.
While the Maple Leafs have made some notable moves early on this offseason, it is clear that they should not be done yet. This is because the Maple Leafs are in the middle of a retool and should be very open to making some changes to their roster.
Now, according to a recent report, the Maple Leafs are open to trading away one of their top defenseman.
Maple Leafs Having Trade Talks With Teams About Brandon Carlo
During the most recent episode of TSN Insider Trading, Chris Johnston reported that the Maple Leafs have been having trade discussions with other teams about defenseman Brandon Carlo.
“Brandon Carlo’s name has emerged in trade talks with other teams, and it makes a lot of sense. Look, the Leafs got right shot Darren Raddysh in last week’s deal with Tampa Bay. They have the expectation that Chris Tanev will be back healthy for next season, and that does squeeze out some of the minutes someone like Carlo would get,” Johnston said.
Johnston also reported that the Maple Leafs are looking for “multiple mid-range picks” in any trade centering around Carlo.
Carlo is no stranger to the rumor mill, as he was talked about often as a trade candidate leading up to the 2026 NHL Trade Deadline. The big defenseman has had trouble finding his fit with the Maple Leafs since they acquired him from the Boston Bruins at the 2025 NHL Trade Deadline. Due to this, he could benefit from a change of scenery, and this is especially so with the Maple Leafs’ blueline getting more crowded.
Which Teams Could Make Sense as Landing Spots for Maple Leafs’ Carlo?
With Carlo being a big right-shot defenseman who kills penalties and plays top-four minutes, he could generate a good amount of interest around the league. This is especially so when noting that he has an easily affordable $3.25 million cap through next season.
A few teams that stand out as potential suitors for Carlo include the Anaheim Ducks, Ottawa Senators, San Jose Sharks, Montreal Canadiens, and Pittsburgh Penguins. Each of these teams could use a boost on the right sides of their bluelines, so Carlo could be a nice fit on any of their rosters if acquired.
In 55 games during this past season with the Maple Leafs, Carlo recorded zero goals, seven assists, 65 hits, 98 blocks, and a plus-4 rating. Overall, it was a quiet year for Carlo offensively, but he brings value with his defense-first style of play.
It will be interesting to see if the Maple Leafs end up trading Carlo this offseason. He is certainly a trade candidate to keep an eye on.
Maple Leafs $24.6M Defenseman Emerges In Trade Talks