Toronto Maple Leafs defenceman Brandon Carlo got into a spirited bout with Los Angeles Kings forward Jeff Malott on Saturday. Carlo and Malott had been battling for position during the preceding shift, which culminated in the two dropping the gloves in front of the Leafs net after the whistle. Both threw a flurry of punches at each other with little downtime in between the barrage of fists.

The towering defenceman got a cut on his nose from the scrap but otherwise was in good spirits as he was seen chatting with his combatant after the two went to the box.

“It just happens fast. Was right there in front of the net. He asked if I wanted to go, I said yes,” Carlo said. “Good on his part. I think it’s good for me too to step up in those ways occasionally. I’m not much of a fighter, but I enjoy doing things for my team. So whatever is needed of me, I will.”

Jeff Malott is the younger brother of Mike Malott, an MMA fighter who currently competes in the UFC and has a record of 11-2 since joining in 2022.

“Not at all. But knowing that information, I’m thankful I’m not knocked out right now,” Carlo said when asked by reporters after the game if was aware of who Jeff’s older brother is. “So, that’s good to know, and I’ll definitely do a little bit more research next time.”

This was Carlo’s first fight in over two years, with his most recent one coming during the 2022-23 season when he was still with the Boston Bruins and got in a scrap with Timo Meier. Carlo may not have won the fight with Marlott, but his teammates were certainly appreciative of his efforts, as evidenced by Scott Laughton and Steven Lorentz  praising the blueliner after he exited the box.

“That’s huge. You gotta tip your cap to him and the guy he’s going up against,” captain Auston Matthews said about the fight. “He’s been a huge addition to our team so far. I mean, he’s so big and he’s fit in so well with us. Great person, great teammate, and great player too.”

“It’s exciting for sure,” goalie Anthony Stolarz added. “Brando did a really good job getting us going. We came out a little flat but he was able to get us a little spark. It’s always nice to see some guys sticking up for themselves.”

With this Carlo scrap, 11 different Leafs have now gotten into a fight so far this season which includes players like Laughton, Ryan Reaves, Max Domi, and Jake McCabe. This is part of an evolving trend that started emerging last campaign when 10 different players donning the Blue and White fought at least once.

Head coach Craig Berube was once an enforcer and is certainly appreciative that his players are willing to go to bat for their teammates.

“It’s very important you stand up for yourself,” he said. “Look, first and foremost, I don’t expect people to fight, but stand up for yourself. And the guys do that. We push back. We’re not gonna get pushed around.”