Boston Bruins
Analyst Doesn’t Sugarcoat How Bad the Minten-Carlo Trade Looks for Maple Leafs
The Maple Leafs’ 2025 trade deadline deal with the Bruins has already turned sour.
Things have gone off the rails for the Toronto Maple Leafs — losers of six consecutive games for the first time since 2019 — and as a result, plenty of past mistakes and failures are starting to reenter the spotlight.
The struggles of the Maple Leafs, combined with the success of the rival Bruins, have particularly amplified scrutiny around last year’s deadline trade that sent Brandon Carlo to Toronto in exchange for Fraser Minten and a 2026 first-round pick — which, unless Toronto jumps into the top five of the draft lottery, is shaping up to be a good one for Boston.
TSN’s OverDrive was discussing the state of the Leafs and where things have gone wrong, and when the topic of the trade came up, Bryan Hayes couldn’t help but admit it’s been and will continue to be a disaster.
“Again, I look at Brandon Carlo — the Leafs got fleeced, there’s no other way to put it. The trade is going to look worse and worse and worse. I get he’s a right shot, and he was younger, and they ate some of the money. But Carlo is not a better player than Ekman-Larsson. And they got Minten and a first.”
The 21-year-old Minten has thrived in his first full year as a Bruin, producing 29 points (14 goals, 15 assists) through 55 games.
On the flip side, Carlo has been limited to just four points (all assists) in 31 games and has struggled to find a fit as a Maple Leaf.
This Trade Might Haunt the Maple Leafs for a Long Time
If GM Brad Treliving had a mulligan, he probably wouldn’t even offer one of the assets — Minten or the 2026 first — for Carlo, less than a year from removed from giving up both for him.
Carlo’s underwhelming play, Minten’s breakout and continued ascension, and the cherry on top of the two teams heading in opposite directions this season, have — as Hayes put it — resulted in a fleecing by Bruins GM Don Sweeney.
Unfortunately, it’s likely only going to get worse for the Maple Leafs. Not only are they watching a former second-round pick (38th overall, 2022) thrive with their bitter rival, but there’s also the very real possibility that Boston lands another high-end prospect in 2026, while Toronto comes away from a lost season empty-handed, barring a move to recoup some draft capital.
It’s often hard to determine who truly won or lost a trade for years afterward, if ever. That said, this one already looks bad for the Maple Leafs, and it stands out among a handful of moves that could ultimately wind up costing Treliving his job.
Next: What Happens to Auston Matthews if Toronto Decides to Sell?
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