Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Brandon Carlo has made an early-season appearance on Sportsnet analyst Nick Kypreos's first trade board of the year, validating speculation about the team's blue-line plans.
Carlo's inclusion is especially notable given that he's currently sidelined with an injury, raising questions about both his value and Toronto's willingness to explore a move. His placement signals that the conversation around the Leafs' defensive depth is far from settled.
The right-shot defenseman has appeared in eighteen games for the Maple Leafs this season, registering two assists. He is the only Leafs defenseman among the team's top four who is not signed to a long-term deal. His current contract expires after the 2026-27 season.
Despite Leafs general manager Brad Treliving just acquiring the lanky defenseman at last year's NHL Trade deadline for prospect Fraser Minter and a conditional first-round 2026 draft pick, it is not a stretch to understand why he was included on Kypreos' trade list.
Brandon Carlo is Leafs' most tradeable defenseman
Kypreos stated that the Maple Leafs explored trading Carlo last offseason and that the Buffalo Sabres were involved in those talks. The Sportsnet analyst mentioned the attributes that make the Leafs' defenseman attractive to other teams.
Carlo is a right-shot defenseman, relatively young at 28, logs minutes, and has a workable salary cap hit of just under $3.5 million. Kypreos also pointed out that any acquiring team would get the Leafs' defenseman's services for two playoff runs.
" He'll get a lot of respect in the trade market."Sportsnet's Kypreos on Brandon Carlo
There are multiple reasons why Treliving might listen to offers and move on from Carlo. First, the former Bruin has had a middling run so far in Toronto. He briefly helped resurrect partner Morgan Rielly's season during the 2024-25 stretch run, but has struggled through the opening quarter of this year.
Carlo is currently battling an injury and has rotated through different defense partners due to the Leafs' blue line being battered with injuries. Also, the Maple Leafs recently claimed Troy Stecher off waivers, giving them an additional right-shot blueliner, albeit with a contrasting skill set to Carlo.
Finally, Maple Leafs' prized defense prospect Ben Danford made an impression on coach Craig Berube and the team's management during the preseason. He plays a defensive style similar to Carlo's. Internally, he could be a natural replacement for Carlo within the next couple of years.
While it is intriguing that Carlo appeared on Kypreos' trade board, a move doesn't appear imminent. Anything involving Carlo is unlikely until closer to the trade deadline. He needs to return to health and steady his play. The Maple Leafs are also without top defender Chris Tanev (also right-handed) for the foreseeable future, plus many top forwards are still out of the lineup. The picture could look different once the Maple Leafs' lineup stabilises.
As the season unfolds and the Maple Leafs reassess their needs, it's not hard to imagine Carlo becoming a trade chip for another suitable roster piece. For now, his status is more a storyline to monitor than a sign of an immediate shakeup.