With a number of teams competing for the playoffs making big time acquisitions to bolster their roster for their Stanley Cup run, the Toronto Maple Leafs made a big splash themselves before the 3 p.m. deadline.
General manager Brad Treliving acquired Scott Laughton, a fourth (2025)- and sixth-round pick (2027) from the Philadelphia Flyers in exchange for a 2027 first-round pick and prospect Nikita Grebenkin. The Flyers will also retain 50% of Laughton’s contract as his cap hit will be $1.5 million with the Maple Leafs for another season after this one as they gain more cap flexibility for the future.
Trelving wasn’t done there as he acquired Brandon Carlo from the Boston Bruins in exchange for Fraser Minten, their first-round pick in 2026 and fourth-round pick in 2025. 15% of Carlo’s $4.1 million contract is also being retained as he’s signed for two more seasons after this. With that retention, his cap hit is now $3.485 million.
While it was a big price to pay for both Laughton and Carlo, they were ones that Treliving was willing to make and it checked off a lot of boxes. Laughton instantly bolsters the centre depth and you also get multiple picks in return and Carlo instantly becomes a steady shut-down fixture on the blueline. Ultimately, it was a win as the Maple Leafs made a number of strong additions.
Price Well Worth Giving Up for Laughton
Laughton has always been a target for the Maple Leafs, so it’s only fitting that he ended up with the team. Overall, the price to acquire Laughton was reasonable given the retention and what came back as well. There was a lot of nail biting on what the Maple Leaf gave up to acquire Laughton, given the prices of what other teams paid for earlier in the day.
A first-round pick was going to be in play but it was the prospect going the other way that everyone was concerned about. With Grebenkin being that player, it instantly becomes a win for the Maple Leafs. As much of a fan favourite that Grebenkin was becoming, Treliving didn’t move his top prospect in Easton Cowan. The fact that he remains in the system, it could lead to potentially bigger deals in the future if and when the opportunity presents itself.
Laughton brings exactly what Grebenkin does, but more importantly, he fills out the depth up the middle of the ice behind Auston Matthews and John Tavares and ultimately pushes Max Domi to the wing. It improves a positional need for the team as a centreman that can be utilized well in a variety of situations.
He’s a player that provides a great amount of intensity and grit, something that head coach Craig Berube will love to have on his team and will be a player that he can rely on. He can play on the penalty kill, can play a physical game (129 hits) and provides decent secondary scoring at even strength as 25 of his 27 points have come in that situation this season.
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Overall, he brings great balance to both the offensive and defensive side of the game given his versatility and play style. He’s in your face and isn’t afraid to mix things up, something that’ll be key in the postseason.
Carlo Bolsters Maple Leafs Blue Line
The second deal that came in right at the deadline was the acquisition of Carlo. A right-shot defender, it gives the Maple Leafs another strong steady shut-defender that brings size and a lot of experience in the postseason. It costed them Minten as part of the deal, but they’re in a spot to win now. Treliving said that Carlo was on their radar for a long time. Now, they have a strong, no-nonsense defender that can be a real game-changer with his physical play and intensity.
Carlo is 28 years old and he definitely fits the mold of the Maple Leafs blueline as they want to be competitive, tough to play against and be a factor to defend against the rush and clear the front of the net. Carlo can do that just as well as the current shut-down pair of Chris Tanev and Jake McCabe who have excelled this season.
While they can be relied on in tough situations, Carlo feels like he would be able to alleviate that as a fit with Rielly on the top pair. He can clear the front of the net and get into the lane to block shots well. It also gives Rielly another defensive partner where he can rely on him in defensive situations, much like Luke Schenn in the past and quickly move the play up.
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Carlo has excelled in a top-four role and brings balance to whoever he’s with. He had favourable results when he was with Hampus Lindholm, who is more of a two-way puck mover, as they had an expected goals for percentage of 59.66% at five-on-five in 143 minutes. Carlo has always been a factor against the Maple Leafs when the Bruins played them in the past as he was effectively shutting everything down. His character and experience is also an added bonus as he makes the blue line more competitive with their identity under Berube.
Final Thoughts
While Treliving usually doesn’t make a big splash before the trade deadline, this was a great result, as Laughton and Carlo checks off a lot of boxes for the Maple Leafs. They have term, but it keeps them in the race in a wide open Atlantic Division. Laughton gives the team the centre depth they need, makes them more competitive and brings that mindset that could be a big factor in the postseason. Carlo is a pillar on the blue line with good mobility but can eat a lot of shots and is tough in front of the net.
With these moves, Treliving made the Maple Leafs a legitimate threat with their depth additions. A price to pay, but ones where it is definitely worth it.
Statistics from Natural Stat Trick and NHL.
