The Boston Bruins have had a rich history of trading with their division rival Toronto Maple Leafs. Inside this century, they’ve made trades where they’ve ended up on the winning side of things. The trade from the 2024-25 trade deadline is looking like another deal that puts them on the winning side.
Bruins Trading Brandon Carlo Has Paid Dividends
The Bruins were big sellers at last season’s trade deadline. Out the door went key core pieces in Charlie Coyle, Brad Marchand, and Brandon Carlo. Carlo being the specific one because he went over to the Maple Leafs. The trade itself made sense for Toronto. Landing a top-four defenseman who’s shown to be reliable defensively in his career is wise for a playoff team.
However, Carlo has not looked the strongest in a Maple Leafs sweater. This season, Carlo has a Corsi for percentage (CF%) of 42.83 and an expected goals for percentage (xGF%) of 45.48. The on-ice impacts haven’t been there. That’s frustrating if you are the Maple Leafs. For the Bruins, a big part of the return was Fraser Minten.
The Maple Leafs paid the premium for Carlo, throwing Minten and their 2026 first-round draft pick into the package. The first-round pick is not top ten protected. So, given the way the Maple Leafs have looked (8-9-2 this season), that’s phenomenal for the Bruins. Minten is a player that has earned the trust of head coach Marco Sturm. Minten has seen the ice in overtime, moved to the top line mid-game, and has been put in crucial situations. He earned the roster spot out of camp and has been a staple on the third line.
Minten has three goals and six points this season, which include a game-winning goal and the dagger against the Maple Leafs. Also, he has excelled in the faceoff circle, as he’s had a 51.1% success rate. There’s plenty to love about this player, and he’s a player who’ll be in a Boston sweater for a long time.
In a crazy world, the Bruins could make the playoffs this season. If the Maple Leafs managed to miss the postseason, that’s the cherry on top to this trade sundae. This trade is going down as a win for the Bruins so far.
Revisiting Trade History Between the Two Teams
Rask for Raycroft Was Highway Robbery
The Bruins have made trades that legitimately have seen them on the winning side of things. Let’s just start with the biggest one that shaped the Bruins for more than a decade. The Maple Leafs acquired Andrew Raycroft from the Bruins in exchange for Tuukka Rask.
At the time of the trade, Raycroft was two seasons removed from his stellar rookie season. Raycroft finished the 2003-04 season with a .926 save percentage and a 2.05 goals-against average. The following season, he saw those numbers plummet to .879 and 3.71. Yet, somehow, the Maple Leafs thought it was wise to trade for him.
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Rask was regarded as one of the best goaltending prospects in the system. The move paid immediate dividends for the Bruins, as Rask became a full-time goaltender for the team during the 2009-10 season. Rask not only was the backbone of the Bruins franchise for more than a decade, but holds numerous records. Rask has the most wins (308), games played (564), and best save percentage (.921) in franchise history. Also, he captured the Vezina Trophy during the 2013-14 season.
Raycroft never regained his rookie season form and lasted two seasons with the Maple Leafs. This trade alone goes down as one of the worst trades for the Maple Leafs and with the Bruins on the winning end of it.
The Big Blockbuster Trade of them All
Right before the 2009-10 season, the Maple Leafs pulled off the big blockbuster trade. Coming to town was Phil Kessel in exchange for a 2010 first-round draft pick, a 2010 second-round draft pick, and a 2011 first-round draft pick. The 2010 first-round draft pick became Tyler Seguin and the 2011 first-round draft pick became Dougie Hamilton.
The trade did make sense, as the Bruins and Kessel did not see eye to eye on a new contract extension. Therefore, the Bruins opted to move the winger and a team like the Maple Leafs wanted a guy to help put them over the top.
The Maple Leafs were abysmal during the 2009-10 season and were the second-worst team in the NHL. So, the Bruins did lose Kessel, but got a legitimate piece in Seguin at the draft. He came in during the Bruins’ 2011 Stanley Cup run and was able to score key goals for the team. Seguin had a monstrous 67-point season (2011-12) and enjoyed a third season in Boston before being shipped out of town to the Dallas Stars.
Hamilton was also a fantastic grab for the Bruins. However, he enjoyed only three seasons in Boston before being shipped over to the Calgary Flames. Hamilton, to this day, is one of the better defensemen in the league, making this a tough pill to swallow for the Maple Leafs.
Kessel never took the Maple Leafs to new heights. In his Maple Leafs tenure, Toronto made the playoffs once and ultimately lost to the Bruins in the famous Game 7 collapse in 2013. This is another loss for the Blue and White.
Bruins Always Come Out on Top
The Bruins always manage to come out on the winning side of these trades. It’s early and things can change, but Minten is proving to be a legitimate piece to the puzzle and a player the Maple Leafs could regret trading.
