gotchanewsdaily.com 
The Bruins and Maple Leafs are accustomed to locking horns in the playoffs.
On Friday, they helped each other at the NHL trade deadline, with Boston shipping defenseman Brandon Carlo to Toronto for forward Fraser Minten, a 2026 first-round draft pick (top-five protected) and a 2025 fourth-round pick (via the Philadelphia Flyers).
ESPN graded the trade and gave the Bruins a “B-plus” for their work.
“Basically, this trade is exactly what Boston needed to do in order to fully embrace its current situation,” the ESPN write-up reads. “We won’t know the full extent of how it will impact the club until Minten settles in and the pick becomes a player, but right now Boston is using what assets it has available in the smartest way possible.”
The Carlo trade was one of several notable deals the Bruins swung before Friday’s trade deadline, which will go down as a franchise-altering day in Boston. The B’s also traded away captain Brad Marchand and local fan favorite Charlie Coyle.
Story continues below advertisement
The Maple Leafs’ blue line gets stronger with the addition of Carlo, while the Bruins acquire a few valuable assets that should assist them in their long-term roster building.
“Minten is the centerpiece here,” the ESPN write-up reads. “He doesn’t have much NHL experience yet, but all the makings are there for him to be a consistent two-way forward. As Boston trends younger and rebuilds, it will give Minten an opportunity to grow within one organization that could keep him on for years to come.”
ESPN also gave the Maple Leafs a “B-plus,” a mark that took into account Toronto trading forward Connor Dewar and defenseman Conor Timmins to the Pittsburgh Penguins for future considerations to clear roster space.
