Brandon Carlo’s name popping up in Montreal’s trade chatter is a pretty clean window into why the Maple Leafs eventually moved on from him.
On Aug. 3, Daily Faceoff’s Marco Di Amico said on the Campbell vs. Gallo Show that the Canadiens were hunting for a right-handed, physical defenseman at last year’s trade deadline, and that Toronto’s Brandon Carlo was one of the names in the mix.
“The defenseman that the Canadiens have been searching for, a big right shot guy, we heard them tied to Rasmus Ristolainen or maybe even a Brandon Carlo at the deadline.”
That’s the kind of target that tells you exactly what Montreal wanted - and, just as importantly, what Toronto was trying to get away from.
Carlo’s time with the Maple Leafs never quite settled into a clean fit after he was acquired from Boston for a conditional 2026 first-round pick (Top-5 protected, transferred to 2028), a 2025 fourth-round pick and prospect Fraser Minten. In 2024-25, he played 20 games, had three assists, a plus-four rating and 38 blocks while averaging 19:13 of ice time.
The following season was a tougher one. He was limited to 55 games after complications from a prior foot surgery kept him out for nearly a month, and he finished with seven assists, a plus-four rating and 98 blocks in 19:22 per game.
But Toronto’s thinking clearly shifted beyond what Carlo could provide.
With John Chayka pushing to reshape the roster this summer, Carlo was dealt to the St. Louis Blues for the 73rd and 76th picks in the 2026 NHL Entry Draft. Toronto used those selections on Zac Olsen and Mads Gudmundsson.
That move gave Chayka two more pieces to work with in the system, with Olsen described as a strong two-way centre and Gudmundsson offering two-way potential on the blueline.
The Canadiens’ interest also points to a bigger picture: Montreal wanted a shutdown type, while Toronto was trying to build something different. Chayka said the Leafs needed to prioritize mobility, puck movement and offensive help on the blue line, and Carlo’s style didn’t line up with that direction.
Toronto already had Chris Tanev and Jake McCabe handling shutdown duties, and the addition of Darren Raddysh brought in another right-handed option who can block shots while adding a different layer to the defense. At the time of last year’s deadline, Simon Benoit was also in the picture, which only added to the sense that Toronto had too many players filling the same defensive niche.
So the Leafs made the choice to move toward speed and flexibility. They re-signed Troy Stecher for more puck movement, and also brought in Raddysh and Emil Andrae from the Philadelphia Flyers in the Joseph Woll trade.
Andrae brings a pass-first game that helps with clean, quick exits, while still bringing some bite - 68 hits despite standing 5-foot-9.
In the end, Carlo’s defensive profile was already covered elsewhere on the roster. Once Toronto decided it needed more mobility and more future value, the writing was on the wall.
Di Amico’s report just makes it clear the door may have been open even earlier than the eventual trade to St. Louis.
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