On Facebook
On Flipboard
On Twitter
The Toronto Maple Leafs have made a significant move ahead of the NHL trade deadline, acquiring defenseman Brandon Carlo from the Boston Bruins. The deal came under the wire and will not be official until the pending trade call with the NHL is complete.
The 28-year-old blueliner, known for his physicality and shutdown abilities, has two more years remaining on his contract with a $4.1 million cap hit. That will be a key part of the deal as it is expected that the Bruins will have retained salary in the trade, and Carlo was not a rental.
Carlo’s arrival vastly improves Toronto’s top four, providing much-needed size and defensive stability. While his offensive game is limited, he is excellent in front of the net and is strong at breaking up plays. He will be a significant piece in the team’s playoff run. When added to Scott Laughton, who was also acquired at the deadline, the Leafs got much more challenging to play against.
Are the Bruins rebuilding now?
This move signals a major shift for the Bruins, who appear to be entering a full-scale rebuild. With the departure of several key players, such as Brad Marchand, who was dealt to the Florida Panthers, only franchise cornerstones David Pastrnak, Jeremy Swayman and Charlie McAvoy remain. Trading Carlo to their fiercest rival suggests Boston is focused on the future, and it was all about what assets they could recoup in the final moments of the deadline.
Will they try to retool on the fly with the assets they acquired at this season’s trade deadline? They have some good young pieces and added some others. However, the Bruins' current roster must be devastated by the losses.
The return package for Carlo remains unclear, but early reports indicate Toronto paid a hefty price to land him. Fraser Minten is confirmed to be part of the trade, and Conor Timmins might be.
More must-reads:
- Who are the current captains of each NHL franchise?
- Kraken announce lucrative new deal for veteran winger
- The '1971-72 Boston Bruins' quiz
Breaking News
Trending News
TODAY'S BEST
Chicago Blackhawks reportedly set to trade 25-year-old goaltender to Stars rival, Edmonton Oilers
NHL Insiders Link Oilers in Possible Blockbuster Trade for Two Penguins 30-Goal Scorers
NHL insider David Pagnotta revealed the Oilers are searching for a top-six scorer, which led NHL analyst Levi Pike to suggest Rickard Rakell and Bryan Rust. NHL insider David Pagnotta recently sat down with the 'Hello Hockey' podcast and explained that the Edmonton Oilers are specifically looking for a top-six forward. It's a reasonable goal, but one many competitors have as well. With little cap space and a lot of competition, the marketplace is going to favor those teams that are willing to spend or trade high-end prospects. NHL analyst Levi Pike named the Pittsburgh Penguins as one potential trade partner. Forwards Rickard Rakell and Bryan Rust are intriguing options, both capable of scoring 30 goals with team-friendly cap hits of roughly $5 million over the next three years. 'The rumour man, David Pagnotta, dropped in to have a chat on the Podcast of Hello Hockey. He suggested the Oilers are searching for a top-six scorer. Let's explore a potential target. The reason that the Pittsburgh Penguins have been targeted is that they possess two desirable forwards. Both Bryan Rust and Rickard Rakell could put up 30 goals, and they do so economically. Both have very similar contracts remaining, around $5 million per year, for the next three years.' - Levi Pike That cost-effectiveness gives the Penguins' GM, Kyle Dubas, the leverage to demand a large return. And with Sidney Crosby not leaving, the Penguins are not in any particular rush to trade either player. For the Oilers, staying with the NHL's elite can be done through an injection into the forward group. Though Zach Hyman and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins have delivered, behind them, there is a precipitous drop-off in scoring depth. The Oilers need more than just Andrew Mangiapane in the event of injuries Andrew Mangiapane's joining does help, though much more is needed, especially with injuries always being the playoff kiss of death. Cap room is Edmonton's biggest challenge, where they have only $225,000 of space. Any actual improvement will likely have to be a dollar-in, dollar-out deal. Perhaps a player like Nicholas Robertson, who is headed for arbitration in Toronto, can be had. But barring something unexpected occurring, the Oilers may have to wait and hope for a miracle.
Brewers Could 'Get Really Spicy', Trade For Rays Lefty
The Milwaukee Brewers might surprise people at the deadline, but not in the way that you expect. A splash trade for a star like Eugenio Suárez is what a lot of Brewers fans want to see, but Milwaukee might be wiser to prioritize bullpen reinforcements between now and July 31. In discussing potential moves for the Brew Crew, Brewer Fanatic’s Jason Wang emphasized the bullpen and named a target that no one’s talking about. “The bullpen … is one place where there could be real upgrades made,” Wang wrote. “The Brewers already have Trevor Megill, so it’s unlikely they’ll be willing to match the bids of other teams for high-leverage talent like Emmanuel Clase or Jhoan Duran.” Wang is accurate on that point, which is also why the Brewers are highly unlikely to land a guy like St. Louis Cardinals’ Ryan Helsley. That shouldn’t stop Milwaukee’s general manager, Matt Arnold, from shopping for arms, however, as Wang noted. “If anything, the organization’s M.O. is to find a funky guy with an unassuming profile but one or two knockout qualities, and shape him in their own image,” Wang continued. "If Milwaukee wanted to get really spicy, they could go for someone like the (Tampa Bay) Rays’ Mason Montgomery … his Stuff+ metrics are outstanding, with top-notch grades on his four-seam fastball and slider. He was shaky enough at the big-league level to get optioned in early July, but he could be exactly the type of project the Brewers excel at developing.” Could Montgomery become the next hurler to improve dramatically after getting traded to the Brewers? We’ve seen that happen with Quinn Priester this season. Still only 25, Montgomery was selected at No. 191 overall in the 2021 MLB draft by Tampa Bay. He’s 1-2 this season with a 5.74 ERA and 1.66 WHIP to go along with 41 strikeouts in 31 1/3 innings pitched for the Rays.
Chicago Bears: Ben Johnson ‘screamed’ at Caleb Williams before kicking him off field
There is no ramp-up period for the Chicago Bears at training camp this year. Head coach Ben Johnson brought the same intensity he harbored during OTAs at the Bears’ first practice of training camp Wednesday at Halas Hall in Lake Forest, Illinois. Adam Hoge of CHGO Bears said that Johnson was upset with Williams and the offense multiple times on Wednesday. He got into the face of the No. 1 pick in the 2024 draft during a seven-on-seven drill. “Accountability is what I’m talking about, though, because, look, it was like a three-strike thing, let’s call three strikes, and you’re out all right,” Hoge said on the CHGO podcast. “Because we saw Ben get in Caleb’s, you know what, during seven-on-sevens about something. I don’t know what it was about, but he wasn’t happy, and he was screaming at him, alright.” Chicago Bears head coach Ben Johnson tried to show patience Johnson tried to show patience with the second mistake, when there was a miscommunication with the wide receivers getting lined up. He let Williams and the receivers sort the issue out before the play. But Johnson didn’t stand idly on the third pre-snap mistake; another miscommunication between Williams and the receivers. Johnson pulled the entire first-team off the field in favor of the second-team led by veteran quarterback Case Keenum. Caleb Williams is picking up where he left off in OTAs Per multiple reports, the Bears’ offense had a poor day. Mark Carman called Williams’ performance on Wednesday the worst part of practice. “Today was just bad,” Carman said. “They had to pull the offense off the field. (Williams) wasn’t getting them lined up. It might not have been his fault every single time he’s his first pass was picked off (by linebacker Tremaine Edmunds). “He rolled right on long play, Cold Kmet’s wide open right in front of him. He ended up running out of bounds. It just wasn’t a good day for the quarterback.” Williams didn’t have a great spring. He struggled with every duty from calling the play in the huddle to getting the cadence right to throwing the ball into the middle of the field or further than 10 yards. As of Day 1 at camp, all of those things are still problems. But at least the $13 million per year head coach is mad.
Bengals star is growing frustrated with team's unresolved disputes
Quarterback Joe Burrow has clearly grown exasperated with the way the Cincinnati Bengals do business. The Bengals started training camp Wednesday, but Trey Hendrickson and Shemar Stewart were absent. Hendrickson is seeking an extension, while Stewart is the only first-round pick who remains unsigned. Burrow wishes the edge-rushers were at camp. "Obviously disappointing," he told the media Wednesday. "You'd like to have all your guys out there Day 1 to try to build that cohesion that I was talking about earlier, but that's not how it usually works out. "You know it's a business," the QB continued before sighing. "And that is how it is gone." Tense contract disputes are nothing new in Cincinnati. Last offseason, Bengals star wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase held in for most of training camp. He didn't sign a deal before the start of the regular season but still played 17 games. Unlike Chase, Hendrickson has made it clear he won't play without a deal. He won't even work out in Cincinnati. The 30-year-old posted he's training in Jacksonville on his Instagram story Tuesday. Hendrickson has revealed the Bengals aren't committing any guaranteed money past the first year of an extension. This has been featured in deals for other edge-rushers, including that of Pittsburgh Steelers star T.J. Watt. Stewart, meanwhile, is dissatisfied with the language in his deal. The Bengals included clauses that would void guarantees for the rookie. Burrow understands the perspectives of Stewart and Hendrickson. "Nobody's ever gonna fault the player for doing business for how he feels he needs to," the quarterback said. "It's cutthroat business, you gotta fight for everything you can get. That's how it goes." However, he hopes Stewart and Hendrickson reach agreements with the club soon. "The sooner you get things done, the better," Burrow said. The Bengals' inability to sign the pass-rushers creates a distraction and wastes time. That's something the team doesn't need after missing the playoffs for two straight seasons. Not making the postseason again would make Burrow even more unhappy.
Customize Your Newsletter
+
Get the latest news and rumors, customized to your favorite sports and teams. Emailed daily. Always free!
PRIVACY POLICY EDITORIAL POLICY CONTACT US
ABOUT YARDBARKER TERMS OF SERVICE
Use of this website (including any and all parts and
components) constitutes your acceptance of these
Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
This site is for entertainment purposes only.
There is no gambling offered on this site.
Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-Gambler.
