Maple Leafs’ quick pivot from Rantanen miss to Carlo, Laughton trades a win
After making a generous pitch to land the greatest difference-maker on the market, Mikko Rantanen, Brad Treliving and the Maple Leafs pivoted quickly and smartly to fill the two biggest holes in his roster.
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DENVER — Brad Treliving hung in the batter’s box all night long trying to smash a home run for his Toronto Maple Leafs from his Ritz-Carlton war room in downtown Denver.
And when the dust settled, so did the general manager, content with an off-the-wall single and a standup triple.
“I pulled an all-nighter,” Treliving admitted late Friday afternoon, his last bit of roster work finally clearing the crowded queue.
“But my all-nighters aren’t as fun as they used to be.”
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What kept Treliving and his fellow Leafs executives burning the midnight oil was a generous pitch for the greatest difference-maker on the market: Cup winner and proven playoff performer Mikko Rantanen, who zipped from Colorado to Carolina to an eight-year, $96-million, tax-free extension in Dallas in a competitive, crazy whirlwind.
The Maple Leafs’ aggressive package for Rantanen, according to Sportsnet’s Nick Kypreos, featured prospects Fraser Minten, Easton Cowan, and two first-round picks. That proposal would also require the power forward to sign an eight-year extension with the Leafs in the range of $105 million to $110 million (a ballpark AAV of $13.5 million).
The Hurricanes turned the deal down for fear of repeatedly facing The One That Got Away in the Eastern Conference and preferred to ship Rantanen west, per Kypreos.
Other reports had the Hurricanes — who did land an NHL-ready asset in Logan Stankoven — demanding Matthew Knies be included in any trade with the Leafs.
Regardless, Treliving wasn’t going there. And only the multiverse can answer that great what-if.
“Matthew is just realizing how big and strong he is, and he’s getting more comfortable,” Treliving said of general trade interest in his top-line left wing and pending RFA.
“He’s sort of grown right in front of our eyes. So, he’s big part of our team now (and will) continue to be moving forward. And he’s a unique player. You know, that’s a big, strong man at 22 years old.”
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Regardless of why the Leafs’ best Rantanen bid wasn’t enough, Treliving pivoted quickly and smartly.
He had a backup plan and executed, spending futures and fringe players to fill the two biggest holes in his roster with top-four, right-shot defenceman Brandon Carlo (from Boston) and third-line centre Scott Laughton (from Philadelphia).
Bonus: Both veterans arrive with term and retained salary. A couple of cap-friendly non-rentals who play Craig Berube hockey and are of high character.
They are expected to make their Maple Leafs debut Saturday versus the Colorado Avalanche.
“They’ll definitely give us an extra boost,” confirmed captain Auston Matthews, who had requested just that Wednesday. “Our division is extremely competitive…. Happy with what we did today.”
Carlo profiles as everything the Maple Leafs have craved in their top four: prime age (28), six-foot-five, 200 pounds, shoots right, eats minutes, kills penalties, blocks shots, has term on his reasonable deal (signed through 2026-27 at $4.1 million; the Leafs take a $3.485 million hit), and is on the plus side of the ledger every season.
Banged up and playing poorly, the Bruins went full white-flag mode Friday, also trading captain Brad Marchand (to Florida, another fierce division rival) and veteran forward Charlie Coyle (to Colorado) in addition to the recent shedding of rental forwards Trent Frederic and Justin Brazeau.
Yes, Treliving was high on the 20-year-old Minten — who projects to be a full-time, responsible, third-line centre — but the opportunity to snatch a legitimate and well-priced right-handed, top-four defenceman was too good to pass up.
The window is now.
“To get good players, you gotta give good players,” Treliving said.
“That’s why Donnie is a good GM, one of the best GMs in the league, and why he’s had so much success. He’s going to try to find the best deal for him.”
Carlo described the trade as “a shocker” to Sportsnet.
The native of Colorado Springs, Colo., has started a whopping 78.5 per cent of his shifts in the defensive zone this season and has still managed a plus-2 rating for a struggling group outside the playoff picture.
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He should slide in nicely to the right of rush-jumper Morgan Rielly and boost Toronto’s middling penalty kill — two areas of weakness underscored by Chris Tanev’s recent absence due to a shoulder injury.
Three of Toronto’s top four defencemen can now be described as legitimate shutdown guys. Package that with the best goaltending of the Core Four era, and the promise of winning tight, low-scoring playoff games is on the uptick.
“I was wondering if they could even call after three o’clock, wondering if I was in the clear,” Carlo said. “Once I heard it was Toronto, I got very excited thinking about the opportunity I’m gonna have there with this group. What a special group they got. Very fortunate and blessed for the opportunity to go to another Original Six. For them to want me is a huge compliment.”
Matthews reminded that he and Carlo won bronze as Team USA teammates at the 2016 world juniors. He praised his new NHL teammate’s long stick and defensive acumen.
“I wanna come in, play that shutdown role, facilitate all those guys that have that skill up front the best I can, and really help this group not allow many goals in the back of the net,” Carlo said.
Treliving’s defence-first approach extends to the Laughton deal.
The Oakville, Ont., native grew up rooting for blue-collar Leafs like Wade Belak, Tie Domi, Garry Valk, Darcy Tucker and Shayne Corson.
“My dad was a big Bruins fan. He tried to convert me,” Laughton said.
“It didn’t work.”
As difficult as it was for Laughton to leave Philadelphia, Treliving said he got emotional about the chance to suit up for his boyhood team and return to the playoffs for the first time in five springs.
“That’s why you play,” Laughton said. “To have a chance is all you want as a player. I’m getting that chance, and I’m very grateful.”
Leafs fans, too, should be grateful that a bleary-eyed Treliving was able to successfully pivot and improve his team when Plan A jetted off to Texas with just a few hours to spare.
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“You always like to try to get things done as early as you can. And I was hoping that the blue-light specials would come on,” Treliving said, after making his moves late but fast.
“And you saw teams that were selling get good returns.”
With Florida and Tampa Bay bulking up as well, there is no guarantee that Carlo and Laughton will immediately equal a long playoff run. But both will be in the fold for cheap in 2026’s attempt, too.
And when the count was full, and the pressure was on, Treliving found a way to connect.
