Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Brandon Carlo will be sidelined for about a month following foot surgery. Carlo, 29, has been absent from Toronto’s lineup since November 13 due to a lower-body injury sustained before a game against the Los Angeles Kings. He participated in a recent Maple Leafs game and continued skating until he returned to Toronto on December 1 after a setback.
On December 3, Carlo had foot surgery, and Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube expects him to fully recover within a month. The cause of the injury remains unclear. Berube remarked after an optional practice that Carlo should eventually return to skating, although the exact timing depends on his recovery process.
This season, Carlo has contributed two points in 18 games with an average ice time of 20 minutes and 4 seconds per game. The Maple Leafs acquired him last season from the Boston Bruins in exchange for a conditional 2026 first-round pick and 2025 fourth-round pick Frazier Minten, with the Bruins retaining a portion of Carlo’s $4.1 million salary.
In other news, the Maple Leafs are managing injuries to Chris Tanev, Oliver Ekman-Larsson (who may skate on Saturday), and Dakota Mermis, who suffered a knee injury after a hit from Tampa Bay Lightning’s Gage Golcalves. Tanev, out since November 1 due to an upper-body injury, is seeking a second medical opinion. Ekman-Larsson’s injury seems less severe than initially thought, and Mermis will likely miss at least a month.
The team is also assessing whether to keep William Nylander on the third line now that Bobby McMann has returned from suspension. Despite the challenges, the Maple Leafs are set to pay Carlo $3.49 million over the next season and a half.
Fan Take: This update on Brandon Carlo’s injury is crucial for hockey fans as it affects the Maple Leafs’ defensive depth, a key factor in their playoff aspirations. Keeping track of these injuries and recoveries highlights the physical toll of hockey and the resilience required to compete at the highest level.
