The Leafs acquired Carlo for his defensive game, but the player wouldn't mind scoring his first goal since Oct. 14, 2024.
Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Brandon Carlo is set to take on the Boston Bruins for the first since he was traded to Toronto on the day of the 2025 NHL Trade deadline.
The Leafs sent a first-round pick and prospect forward Fraser Minten to the Bruins to land the veteran defenseman. Given how late in the season he was dealt, Carlo hasn't had a chance to take his former team of nine seasons unitl Saturday with the Bruins in Toronto.
Carlo discussed his emotions ahead of playing against the Bruins. The friends he made on the team over his tenure and the impact that Hockey Hall of Famer and former teammate Zdeno Chara had on the club when talking to reporters on Saturday morning.
So what do you think tonight is going to be like for you?
You know, I'm just treating it like any other game. I want to obviously do my best to contribute in any way to getting a victory tonight. But there will be some familiar faces on the other side. But overall, I think, yeah, it's been enough time has passed where I think it's a good thing to be in this situation and a fun opportunity to play against some of the guys that I used to compete with in practice every day. So I'm looking forward to the challenge.
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Did you meet up with anyone last night?
Yeah, I had dinner with about six or seven guys. It was great to see them. Nice to catch up, kind of just talk about, you know, they got some new things going on with their group. They wanted a little bit of insight on what it's like behind enemy lines. So it's been good to see everybody, and obviously those friendships will last a lifetime.
When a fairly significant package goes back, like your first-round pick and Fraser Minten, do you keep tabs on what Minten's doing at all?
No, not necessarily. I think for myself, ever since I got traded, it's kind of just been a mentality of going one day at a time, focusing on what I can do to be the best version of myself each day. So, yeah, no, I haven't really paid too much attention there. I think it's, you know, a compliment in a way that he was a first-round guy and we got kind of swathed for each other. But overall, it's the business, and I don't make those decisions by any means. So I'm just focused on where I can help this group.
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Who are your kind of closest friends over there with Boston?
Yeah, I think the guys that I've played with for a long time. Obviously, like Jeremy Swayman, Charlie McAvoy, Pasta (David Pastrnak, those guys, Hampus (Lindholm), I was on a deep pair with. Peeker (Andrew Peeke) as well. You know, I've got some great friends over there. Like I said, lifelong friendships for sure. But just as anything, when I'm the guy getting traded, there's going to be certain situations. We play, I don't know, say Pittsburgh the other night. There's guys that I played with in Boston on that team as well. So it's fun to, you know, see them. But once it gets on the ice, that competitive nature takes over, and you worry about the game.
Who are you looking forward to playing tonight?
I want to try and score on Sway (Swayman). That would be really nice. That would be awesome. I'm not sure he's going to let me have one. But overall, at least try to get a couple shots on him. And he's a really good friend of mine.
How do you on him in practice?
Practice, I would definitely let him know when I would put one behind him. I think we know goal scoring is not my biggest strong suit. But overall, I would definitely love to try and compete in that regard and feel very satisfied when I would get one past him.
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Who do you want to hit?
Pasta (David Pastrnak) I'd like to get a little lick on Pasta for sure. Just I think that's good for the game in any way. But he's obviously one of their key guys. So if we can eliminate his offensive presence with taking the body a little bit, that would be great.
What's it like looking at the Bruins roster now? You think of the guys over there for so long. .
I mean, it's definitely different. I think in a way I look over at the roster and recognize there's been a lot of change. I was a part of that change as well. Same thing with like Marchie (Brand Marchand), like you said, last year. Charlie Coyle, Trent Frederick, all these guys that were there for a lot of the time that I was there. So it's nice that there's that turnover. It doesn't make you feel as left out, I guess you could say. But overall, I think they still have a great makeup within their group. And the culture that Zdeno and Berge and Marsha and those guys created will last a very long time, regardless of who's there, just with any way that they touch that organization. So it speaks a lot to those guys. I was fortunate enough to play with them, learn from them, and learn the ways to carry yourself. You see it from Hall of Fame talent at Zdeno (Chara) this weekend. And it's great that I still have the opportunity to, you know, reach out to those guys when I need to. And like I said, just friends that I'll have for a long time.
What's your best or favorite Chara story?
I think my first year, I don't know if you hear me much on the penalty kill, but we were in practice one day. And I'm always extra loud on the penalty kill because I wasn't talking enough in practice. and he turned towards me and he's basically like, 'if you don't start talking to me, you're not going to be here on this penalty kill'. So that was a great lesson for me as well. And he wanted me to be his eyes in that situation. So he was very competitive from day one, even in practice. So those habits have kind of carried over for me.
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Can you talk about that culture that they had? What really stood out most about the culture that Bruins team had with Chara and Bergeron.
Yeah, I look back on it. And I think just the way that everybody cared for each other. There was a lot of compassion within that group. Bergeron was a huge component of that. You know, there would be days whether you were kind of in a slump or whatnot, and he would be one of the first guys to come in and check up on you. Just kind of caring more about the human being first and foremost, more than the hockey player. That was something that really stood out to me there. That leadership was definitely something that I enjoyed being a part of and learning from. So there was a lot of compassion within that group, and everybody just cared.
It was a scary moment last Saturday in Philadelphia. We walked in, Tanev, back on the ice. What stood out about how he's kind of come back from that scary moment?
Yeah, he's doing well. Yeah, every time that I've talked to him since, he's seemed just like himself. So that's what you like to see. He's got bright eyes and a bushy tail in the morning. So he's a great player. He's a huge part of this group. Obviously wants to be on the ice. But like I said, same thing. First and foremost, we care most about the human being. But I've been very happy to see how well he's, you know, been looking in the morning. He's not looking down or anything like that. So, yeah, he looks great.
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