Brandon Carlo is getting offers and his return package could be a pleasant surprise

Toronto Maple Leafs defender Brandon Carlo is reportedly getting some trade interest and the return package could bring the team a decent haul all things considered.

Carlo's future with the Maple Leafs has been up in the air for a bit, and it's not that he's a bad player but he hasn't shown the skillset he had in Boston, and the fact the Maple Leafs gave up a first-round pick and Fraser Minten for him doesn't help at all.

Thank goodness the pick didn't come back to haunt them but Carlo still feels like an odd fit at times. He's more of a second or third pairing option if the Maple Leafs are going to keep him, and at only $3.485-million he's not going to be too expensive to throw out there.

Brandon Carlo could get Toronto a package of mid-range picks despite a rough Maple Leafs stint

But that contract and his potential is leading some around the league to perk up. According to Chris Johnston, there is some heavy interest around Carlo and that he believes a potential return for the shutdown defender could be a pretty solid one despite all odds:

Another one of the Leafs‘ defencemen, Brandon Carlo's name has emerged in trade talks with other teams, and it makes a lot of sense. Look, the Leafs got right-shot Darren Raddysh in last week's deal with Tampa Bay.

They have the expectation that Chris Tanev will be back healthy for next season...the ask at this point in time for Carlo is multiple mid-range picks by the Leafs.

Look, it isn't a package that has a player like Minten or a first-rounder, but a haul of two or three picks that range from the second to fourth round isn't bad. They can either use that to draft a surplus of prospects, or package them in order to improve elsewhere.

Carlo, 29, had seven assists in 55 games for the Maple Leafs last season, and since coming over has only 10 points and a plus-8 in 75 games while averaging 19:19 in that span. Contrast that to Boston where he averaged 12 points, a plus-14 and 97 blocks in 19:48 TOI.

Brandon Carlo wasn't bad in Toronto just a bad fit

Granted, he did deal with a foot issue that caused him to miss some time, but he's also really not gelled with anyone and while trying to provide help for Morgan Rielly, wasn't a top pairing option - or at least good enough to cover for his liabilities.

All credit to Carlo, he did what he could but he just never really felt like he fit in.

Whereas we've seen players like Chris Tanev, Jake McCabe, Luke Schenn and Mark Giordano all come in and fit seamlessly into the lineup as a shutdown player, Carlo hasn't. It was a rushed deal to start with and the culture shock of being thrown into the biggest market with huge expectations took a toll.

Teams who have been linked to Carlo include two bitter rivals in Ottawa and Boston, and both teams make sense given they want to improve their blueline on the cheap and Carlo provides a cheap and reliable defender (historically).

If that's the case, the Toronto Maple Leafs may do themselves a good by dishing off Carlo elsewhere and seeing what they can get in return. Their only hope is that it doesn't come back to haunt them and Carlo completely neutralizes him - especially with some extra motivation after being let go.

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