Minten to the Bruins Cost the Maple Leafs One More Prospect

On March 7, 2025, the Toronto Maple Leafs made a big move, acquiring defenceman Brandon Carlo from the Boston Bruins. But the cost? It wasn’t small. Headed the other way were Fraser Minten, a 4th-round pick in 2025 (Vashek Blanar), and a conditional 1st-round pick in 2026.

Carlo Fit in Well with Toronto, But …

There’s no question that Carlo fit in well with the Maple Leafs. He brought a reliable presence on the back end and played important minutes down the stretch. But losing Minten might prove to be a high price to pay—perhaps even too high.

Minten is the kind of player you want in your system. Smart, mature beyond his years, a natural leader. He made the Maple Leafs roster out of camp under Sheldon Keefe and got into some NHL games last season under new head coach Craig Berube.

While his scoring didn’t immediately show up, the trust was there. He played in all situations and looked like a reliable 200-foot player—middle-six potential, with defensive awareness and offensive instincts—a complete hockey mind.

Why Would the Maple Leafs Trade a Player They Believed In?

So why move Minten at all? What’s worse is that now there are even rumours that the Maple Leafs might trade Carlo. If that happens, what was this all for? It starts to look like a short-sighted approach: moving a promising, NHL-ready prospect for a player you might not even keep long-term.

No one denies that Carlo can help this team. But is this how you build a contending pipeline? Trading players like Minten—players who could become the next wave of core contributors—makes that vision harder to sustain.