Latest NHL trade gives Brad Treliving a foundation for a Brandon Carlo deal

Rumors throughout Monday showed that the New York Rangers and New York Islanders were in talks centred around a deal for defenceman Carson Soucy; who would go from the Big Apple to Long Island in a pretty short destination switch.

Well we can confirm that deal has now been made official. The Rangers have sent Soucy to the Islanders in exchange for a 2026 third-round pick:

Soucy, 31, is a stay-at-home defender who is known for blocking shots and throwing hits. This season he has eight points in 46 games to go along with 66 blocks and 71 hits.

This deal gives the Maple Leafs a better idea of what a potential Brandon Carlo trade could bring back as the team decides whether to hold onto certain assets or retool and get some more assets back.

Carlo has been fine, but not the elite shutdown defender Toronto needs especially with Chris Tanev out. Acquired last year for a first-round pick and Fraser Minten, if Toronto were to get something back it has to at least have some value behind it.

Toronto lacks any real strong assets and even if they were to think about making a trade to bring in a body, at least having some more assets to work with come either the deadline or draft time is crucial.

Carlo and Soucy are pretty much cut from the same cloth though Carlo is a tad younger but doesn't get as many points as Soucy but both offer shutdown defense and a great knack for blocking shots.

For any team looking for a cheap defender to shore up their back end, they could very well look to Toronto and Brandon Carlo; especially if they decide to wave the white flag.

But it will cost them at least a third-round draft pick and if not? Brad Treliving didn't do his job.

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Maple Leafs scouts keep showing up for the same team, and it's starting to look like a trade is brewing