With the Olympic break around 24 hours away and trade talk at a fever pitch, it's not surprising to hear that some teams are being linked to certain players. However, a recent connection between the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Edmonton Oilers is somewhat shocking.

Elliotte Friedman noted on the latest episode of 32 Thoughts that he's heard the Oilers might have kicked tires on Brandon Carlo. 

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Friedman got into the topic of goaltending and mentioned how Tristan Jarry called out his teammates for Grade A chances against in a lopsided win by the Minnesota Wild on Saturday. Jarry made a series of comments that had to be seen as a wake-up call for the organization and his Oilers' teammates. "We want to play fast, we want to play up, we want to play in their end, and when we're taking some of those chances, they come back at us, and it's tough. I think we need to make sure we're just managing the puck a little bit better," Jarry said. He added, "It's tough, I think the chances that we're giving up, some of the shots, they're tough. I think it's a lot of Grade As and a lot of breakdowns, so I think it's tough to think about your game at this point. I think it's a whole team game," he explained.

If Jarry was speaking truths, the Oilers have to realize they've got a problem.

Friedman noted, "You know the one thing about Stuart Skinner, you did a lot of these interviews, he ate that stuff. Like, he never complained, he ate it all. He was like no it's my job to stop the puck, I'm not I'm not worried about the stuff in front of me." Clearly, Jarry took a different approach.

Friedman added, "I'm curious to see how the Oilers react to Jarry saying that, and number two, I'm also curious to see how, like, if the fact that the goalie actually comes out and says it, is okay. It's not a coach saying this anymore; it's the goalie we just went out and got who said it. How does that resonate in their room? Do they get mad or they say wait a sec this isn't a coach this is our peer. This is one of the guy we went out and got it's it's interesting too because I heard some talk that they might be interested in a guy like Brandon Carlo."

As for how accurate those rumors are remain unclear. Friedman noted that some people said yeah they did hear the rumors. Others said, "No, they're not doing that."

What Friedman did add was, "I really think what they're trying to do is find people who will accept the third and fourth line role better."

Still, the fact that the goalie called out the team might lead the organization to wonder whether they need to make another defensive move, especially if the defense continues to leave the goalie out to dry. 

Carlo will be an interesting target if these reports are accurate. He is a solid veteran d-man who is taking a bit of a critical beating because Fraser Minten and a first-rounder were traded to Boston to acquire him. Carlo hasn't been the fit in Toronto the Leafs were hoping he'd be, and if they're selling him as the franchise looks to retool, it might speak to how willing they are to call that deal a mistake. 

Then again, some of the heat falls on his pairing with Morgan Rielly and not necessarily Carlo himself. With the right team and the right partner, could Carlo be another home run like Mattias Ekholm was?

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