BUFFALO, N.Y. — Brandon Carlo has been traded, marking a clear end to the missteps made by the Toronto Maple Leafs during the 2025 trade deadline. The Maple Leafs' general manager, John Chayka, is on a mission to revamp the team's defense by injecting speed and offensive capabilities into their blueline. On Saturday, he dealt Carlo, now 29 years old, to the St. Louis Blues in exchange for two third-round picks at the draft being held in Buffalo.
Chayka utilized those picks to select two promising 18-year-olds: Zach Olsen (No. 73 overall) and Mans Gudmundsson (No. 76). Calgary native Zach Olsen, a six-foot-one, 202-pound right winger, showcased a lethal wrist shot and recorded 18 goals and 34 points during his third season with the Saskatoon Blades. On the other hand, Gudmundsson, a right-shot playmaking defenseman, made the leap from Farjestad's junior program to its professional team at the conclusion of the last season.
As the Maple Leafs saw their playoff hopes dwindle in the 2025-26 season, there has been a strong focus on replenishing their depleted prospect pool. This plan also included trading away Scott Laughton, the other acquisition made during the '25 deadline, to the Los Angeles Kings for a second-round pick, which turned into defenseman Alexander Bilecki.
Carlo, who had been on the trade block during the season under former GM Brad Treliving, expressed his desire to remain with the team amid the rumors. Treliving had initially given up a substantial package to the Boston Bruins to acquire Carlo, which included young center Fraser Minten, a first-round pick in 2026 (now pushed back to 2028 and unprotected), and a fourth-round pick in 2025 (Vashek Blanar). The weight of this trade loomed over Carlo like a dark cloud throughout his tenure in Toronto.
While he has been recognized for his dedication as a penalty killer and his heavy minutes on ice—averaging 19:22 throughout the 2025-26 season despite grappling with a foot injury—Carlo failed to meet the offensive expectations Chayka was looking for. He managed only 10 points and zero goals in a staggering 88 games for the Maple Leafs, which set a franchise record for the most games played without scoring a goal by a skater.
Carlo is remembered as one of the genuinely nice individuals in the league, known for his fearless shot-blocking abilities and commitment to defense. However, both Boston and Toronto felt comfortable moving him because he has not played as physically as his imposing six-foot-five, 227-pound frame suggests. Throughout the season, he faced criticism for not defending teammates properly in critical moments, including an incident when he did not protect goalie Anthony Stolarz during a crease crash and failed to respond appropriately when Radko Gudas injured captain Auston Matthews.
Carlo acknowledged these learning moments, stating, "You need to go in there and make it known that that's not OK." With Chayka investing in top-pair right-hand defenseman Darren Raddysh and shutdown player Chris Tanev, who is currently recovering and expected to be ready for training camp, Carlo had fallen to a third spot on the right-side depth chart. Left-side defensemen Oliver Ekman-Larsson, Jake McCabe, and newly acquired Emil Andrae also offer the capability to play on the opposite side.
Chayka has also explored trading Morgan Rielly, who has submitted a list of four Western Conference teams where he would consider waiving his no-move clause. With Chayka actively seeking to reshape the roster, the expectation of further trades remains strong leading into the next week.
In St. Louis, Carlo is anticipated to take on second-pairing minutes, playing behind right-side defenseman Colton Parayko. If the Blues find themselves outside of the playoff picture by the trade deadline, Carlo, who carries a cap-friendly contract at $3.49 million, could be traded as a rental to a contending team in need of depth.
