Maple Leafs Almost Pulled Off 2 Great Trades Involving Carlo In The Summer

The Toronto Maple Leafs didn't appear to like the game that Brandon Carlo played once he got to the team and finished out the season. He was a trade deadline acquisition from the Boston Bruins and they overpaid considering how the other side has turned out for Boston and how the Maple Leafs aren't happy with the result on their end.

This led to the Maple Leafs attempting to trade Carlo in multiple different ways in the offseason. According to Nick Kypreos, "There's a strong suggestion Toronto and Buffalo were in talks over having Carlo involved in a JJ Peterka trade and then moving towards a Carlo-for-Bowen Byram type of trade over the summer."

If either trade had happened, even with a first or high pick involved, the Maple Leafs would have won the deal. Peterka ended up going to the Utah Mammoth in a three-player trade that sent Josh Doan and Michael Kesselring back. Both are young and solid players, and Doan is having a breakout season. The Maple Leafs ended up grabbing Matias Maccelli from the Mammoth for a third-round pick.

Almost anything involving getting rid of Carlo and bringing in Byram would have been a major win for Toronto as well. The defense is a weak point for the Maple Leafs and Byram could finally have the opportunity to not be overshadowed by anyone, be the number one defenseman he is expected to be at his draft position, and play on the top power play.

Byram is still on the Buffalo Sabres, being overshadowed, but if that deal involving Byram and Carlo didn't happen in the offseason, it definitely isn't going to happen now with how the season has gone for both of them. The more likely scenario is the Maple Leafs try to sign Byram after his contract is over, but then they will have competition. Toronto also isn't going to have an easy time moving off of Carlo.