Original Six trade brewing between the Chicago Blackhawks and Toronto Maple Leafs
PUBLICATION
Sam Walker
December 17, 2025 (5:20 PM)
Chicago Blackhawks fans, buckle in. A name that's been buzzing around the NHL trade rumor mill is Brandon Carlo, and there's a believable path for Kyle Davidson to make a hockey trade that shakes things up on the blue line and still keeps the rebuild intact.
Carlo's being talked about as a potential Maple Leafs trade candidate amid defensive inconsistency and injury setbacks, and that opens a door the Blackhawks could push through.
Carlo, 29, hasn't played much this season thanks to injury and surgery that's kept him out of the Leafs' lineup. Heavy Sports That's the kind of uncertainty Toronto might view as a reason to make a deal, whether their defense eventually gets healthy or they look to reshape the roster before February.
For Chicago, the timing lines up.
The Blackhawks are in a rebuild with young defensemen like Kevin Korchinski and Alex Vlasic waiting for more minutes.
That gives Chicago flexibility to part with a veteran piece without gutting depth.
Carlo swap makes sense if Blackhawks add youth assets
A lot of fans see Carlo as a steady, big defenseman with shutdown chops who'd immediately improve any NHL top six.
The Blackhawks don't need Carlo to be a core long-term piece, they'd need him to be part of a package that nets them youth or a draft asset that keeps the rebuild rolling.
If Chicago can offer a combination of a prospect on the rise and a mid-round pick, that might be enough for Toronto to consider a deal. Carlo's cap hit is $4.1 million with two years remaining, and that's moveable if Chicago retains salary or takes back shorter term pieces from the Leafs.
The beauty of this possibility for Chicago is twofold: it gets a proven defenseman who can mentor young defensemen, and it turns a short-term need into long-term gain. That's exactly the kind of creative maneuver rebuilds thrive on.
This kind of move isn't shock value chatter anymore. With Brandon Carlo on the trade radar and the Blackhawks having clear runway to absorb a contract while shedding future draft currency for real help, there's a concrete path forward.
It won't be a blockbuster for the ages, but it could be the kind of swing move that accelerates Chicago's rebuild without mortgaging the future.
Previously on Chicago Hockey Insider
| POLL |
DECEMBRE 17 | 42 ANSWERS Original Six trade brewing between the Chicago Blackhawks and Toronto Maple Leafs Should the Chicago Blackhawks trade for Brandon Carlo? |
| Yes add veteran | 14 | 33.3 % |
| No stay patient | 26 | 61.9 % |
| Trade different piece | 2 | 4.8 % |
| List of polls |