Photo credit: Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images
Boston Bruins fans are chiding the Maple Leafs for trading them Fraser Minten but a deeper dive shows that perhaps the deal shifts in Toronto’s favor.It was a necessary move if Toronto wanted to improve their backend, and needing a partner for Morgan Rielly; it was a necessary evil.
Minten is now a part of the Bruins squad and earned his way onto the NHL roster this year and already made himself known with a very slick OT winner:
But it was the Boston fans who took it a bit further than some simple cheering.
How Bruins Fans Reacted to Fraser Minten’s Goal
Bruins fans quickly took to social media to voice their pleasure regarding Toronto’s decision to trade them their once prized rookie:
It might haunt Leafs fans knowing they got rid of someone who could be a star, however taking a bit of a deeper look into things you start to see why Toronto made the trade.
That being said, for two prominent Maple Leafs analysts, they think that Carlo’s addition to the lineup is everything but a bad deal.
Why Analysts Believe Brandon Carlo Is the Real Gem in the Deal
Both Nick Alberga and Jay Rosehill brought up how whilst the Bruins faithful is mocking the Maple Leafs for trading Minten, it is actually Toronto who has the last laugh:
He scores yesterday and all of a sudden you see these posts saying ‘Thank you Toronto.’ Well, thank you Boston.
I think Brandon Carlo’s a guy nobody talks about, but I love that deal and I would do it right now.
I think it’s hilarious in the sports world. Oh this guy scored a goal, in the second game of the season. Congratulations.
I think Carlo’s a very, very good asset and someone you want in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. – Nick Alberga
I got people who throw as much shade as they possibly can at the Toronto Maple Leafs but nobody says boo about the back end.
Fraser Minten, he’s a good player. We knew that when they made the move. But you know this team was ready to win now, they wanted to make a move and Minten was part of it.
That doesn’t mean he’s never going to score a goal again. I saw that as well and I just shook my head and said ‘More of the same from haters of Toronto I guess.’ – Jay Rosehill
Carlo is someone who Toronto desperately needed and while Morgan Rielly is a very good defender, he definitely works best with a shutdown player he can work off of.
A physical machine, he loves to block shots and dish out hits while also playing very smart defensively. He’s hardly out of position, and he is very tough to take the puck off of once he has it.
Sure you won’t get a ton of offense from him (112 points in 638 games) but he does offer assistance in one key factor which is getting shots on net.
Not afraid to let it fly, he adds a bit of a new dimension that has lacked on the Maple Leafs backend for awhile.
So while Minten succeeds in Boston, as there was never a doubt he would be an NHL player, Brandon Carlo offers something bigger.
Not just in size, but in his heart and his ability to make the team around him better makes him a very underrated asset in Toronto’s new identity.
Previously on HockeyPatrol