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These three teams could target Maple Leafs defenseman Brandon Carlo this summer.
The Toronto Maple Leafs decided to be sellers at the 2026 NHL trade deadline. It was not difficult to understand why, as they have underperformed in a major way this campaign, and their playoff hopes are very low.
Because of this, the Maple Leafs ended up trading multiple players leading up to the deadline. Nicolas Roy (Colorado Avalanche), Bobby McMann (Seattle Kraken), and Scott Laughton (Los Angeles Kings) were all traded by the Maple Leafs. While this is the case, one of their most-talked-about trade candidates ended up staying put: Brandon Carlo.
While Carlo ended up not being traded by the Maple Leafs at the deadline, they could consider moving him during the summer. He has struggled to find his fit with the Maple Leafs and could get them a nice return in a trade. This is because he is a big right-shot defenseman who plays top-four minutes.
Because of this, let’s look at three teams that could look to acquire Carlo if the Maple Leafs make him available this summer.
Edmonton Oilers
The Edmonton Oilers stand out as a clear potential offseason suitor for Carlo. While they made a smart move by adding veteran blueliner Connor Murphy from the Chicago Blackhawks at the deadline, the Oilers still should be looking to upgrade the right side of their second pairing this summer. Bringing in Carlo would help them do just that.
One thing that the Oilers are lacking is a true top-four defensive defenseman. With the Oilers needing more stability on their blueline, it would make a lot of sense for them to make a major push for Carlo this offseason. He could slot perfectly on their second pairing with Jake Walman and would be an obvious option for their penalty kill.
Dallas Stars
The Dallas Stars are another team that would make sense as an offseason suitor for Carlo. Even after adding Tyler Myers from the Vancouver Canucks ahead of the deadline, the Stars’ right side could still use some improvement. If they landed him, the Stars would have a right side of Miro Heiskanen, Carlo, and Myers. That would undoubtedly make Dallas’ right side significantly stronger.
With the Stars’ Stanley Cup window expected to remain open for multiple more seasons, they should be in a position to make a big splash for Carlo during the summer. He is exactly the kind of big stay-at-home defenseman that contenders love to have on their roster.
San Jose Sharks
The San Jose Sharks could be a dark-horse team to watch if the Maple Leafs shop Carlo this summer. The Sharks recently traded Timothy Liljegren to the Washington Capitals and have two pending unrestricted free agent (UFA) defensemen in Vincent Desharnais and John Klingberg. With this, the Sharks could be on the hunt for a right-shot defenseman this offseason, and Carlo could be a fantastic fit on their roster.
The Sharks are an exciting team on the rise, so they should not be afraid to address their clear roster needs this summer. If they acquired Carlo, he would instantly become their best right-shot defenseman and would give them a good veteran mentor for their younger players.
Michael DeRosa Michael covers the NHL for Heavy.com. He has professionally covered the NHL since 2017 and has written for other publications like The Hockey News, BetMGM, Athlon Sports, and The Hockey Writers. More about Michael DeRosa
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