During the 2026 NHL Draft, the Toronto Maple Leafs traded defenceman Brandon Carlo to the St. Louis Blues in exchange for the No. 73 and No. 76 picks in this year’s event.

Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman was the first to report.

Carlo was on the trade block leading up to the draft, and Toronto recoups some more draft capital. This is the fourth trade the Maple Leafs have conducted under general manager John Chayka’s supervision, as the team undergoes an overhaul of its roster. Toronto now holds the No. 60, 69, 73, 76, 114 and 169 overall picks in this year’s draft, which should spell out an aggressive Day 2.

Ahead of the trade, Toronto formally introduced first overall pick Gavin McKenna to assembled media at the Ford Performance Centre.

Toronto is rapidly revamping its blue line with Chayka and senior advisor to hockey operations Mats Sundin in charge. Darren Raddysh promptly signed an eight-year extension upon being acquired from the Tampa Bay Lightning, while the Maple Leafs acquired RFA defenceman Emil Andrae in a trade with the Philadelphia Flyers. Although head coach Jim Hiller is expected to hold a meeting, Morgan Rielly is on the trade block as well, submitting a four-team list where he’d waive his no-trade clause.

Carlo was acquired in a trade with the Boston Bruins at the 2025 NHL trade deadline, in exchange for Fraser Minten, a fourth-round pick and a conditional first-round pick. Toronto essentially saved its pick by winning the draft lottery, and the first-rounder will be deferred. It was considered a clever move at the time for a win-now Maple Leafs team, but like many of the acquisitions made under Brad Treliving, it almost backfired immediately. Carlo was brought in to operate as a shutdown defender with the Maple Leafs, but never found his form, primarily paired with Rielly.

As a result of the trade, the Maple Leafs now hold $22.28 million in cap space via PuckPedia.