Bruins leaning toward keeping Brandon Carlo

One of the players that has found his name on a few different trade boards might not be totally for sale.

According to Daily Faceoff’s Anthony Di Marco, the Boston Bruins might be willing to keep defenseman Brandon Carlo around through the NHL Trade Deadline.

Per Di Marco, there has been discussion about moving Carlo, with the Bruins reportedly receiving interest from other teams. However, as the Bruins continue to try and stay in the playoff race, there is reason to keep some useful assets in the lineup for the final two months of the season.

Carlo is in the fourth season of his six-year contract, which he signed with Boston in July 2021. The deal carries a cap hit of $4.1 million through the 2026-27 campaign. Carlo has a modified no-trade clause, which requires him to submit a 10-team no-trade list.

The 28-year-old doesn’t necessarily have the offensive gifts that some of the big-name blueliners do, but he has been a steady presence in his own zone throughout most of his career. In his eight-plus years in the NHL, Carlo has never finished with a negative plus/minus. His +70 that he registered during the 2022-23 campaign was good for seventh in the NHL.

So far this year, Carlo has notched a goal and eight assists for nine points, a +3 rating while averaging of 18:45 of ice time per game.

The Colorado Springs native has spent his entire NHL career with the Bruins. The team took him in the second round, 37th overall, at the 2015 NHL Draft. In 616 appearances, Carlo has posted 29 goals and 80 assists for 109 points, including 14 points in 72 Stanley Cup Playoff appearances.

The Bruins (28-27-8) are seventh in the Atlantic Division, two points back of the last Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference.

The NHL Trade Deadline is at 3 p.m. ET on Friday.