Did the Leafs make a mistake trading away this prospect?

"Back on March 7, 2025, the Toronto Maple Leafs made one of the biggest deadline moves of the season: they traded forward Fraser Minten, along with a 2026 first-round pick (top five protected) and a 2025 fourth-round pick, to the Boston Bruins in exchange for veteran defenseman Brandon Carlo. Carlo arrived in Toronto to help improve a solid defensive core, offering size, shutdown ability, and penalty-kill experience."

"Carlo was signed through 2026-27 and carried a $4.1M cap hit, a cost the Leafs were willing to absorb for a blue-liner they hoped could anchor their back end. Fraser Minten was drafted 38th overall by the Leafs in 2022 and was considered one of Toronto's more promising middle-six forwards. While his NHL experience was limited to 19 career NHL games with 2 goals and 2 assists before the trade, he had flashed potential as a reliable, two-way centre and penalty-kill contributor."

"The feeling that Toronto gave up too much began almost immediately, especially given how Minten has developed with Boston. Since joining the Bruins organization, Minten has appeared in the NHL for Boston and shown signs of growth. In the 2025-26 season, he scored goals and stepped into a middle-six role, even contributing key goals against the Maple Leafs. Bruins teammates and coaches have praised his reliability and two-way play, and Boston's staff seems to value what he brings."

On March 7, 2025, Toronto traded Fraser Minten, a 2026 first-round pick (top-five protected), and a 2025 fourth-round pick to Boston for veteran defenseman Brandon Carlo. Carlo was signed through 2026-27 with a $4.1 million cap hit and was expected to add size, shutdown ability, and penalty-kill experience to Toronto's defense. Minten, a 38th-overall pick in 2022, had limited NHL experience but showed two-way potential and special-teams value. Many fans felt the Leafs paid a steep price. After the move, Minten developed into a middle-six role with Boston and produced important goals, leaving the long-term trade outcome uncertain.

Read at Editor In Leaf