Bruins Defenseman Brandon Carlo Never Received An Offer Sheet

Boston Bruins defenseman Brandon Carlo told the media Wednesday that he did not receive an offer sheet before finally being signed to a two-year $5.7 million contract this past Monday.

“Don’t believe so, no,” Carlo said when asked he received any offer sheets as a restricted free agent. “You obviously see stuff that people kind of makeup on Twitter or stuff like that. So you just never know, but for me, no nothing like that.”

So if what if an offer sheet did come his way and the team tendering it, offered more term and/or money?

“Oh absolutely,” Carlo said. “This is where I want to be and I don’t really know how that situation works, but like any guy whose here, if I have the opportunity to play for even a little bit less than whatever an offer sheet may be – I’m not even sure that was a thing – I would choose here.”

Carlo was then asked why he and other Bruins players are willing to take less and stay with the Bruins? He cited forward Charlie Coyle’s impression when he arrived in Boston via trade last February and the impression he got.

“Just a special room in regard to everybody wanting to be here and staying here,” Carlo said. “Like I said at the very beginning, you get here, it’s like a family here. For me, I haven’t been with any other NHL teams, but from guys that have come over – for instance, Charlie Coyle last year – the first day that he was with us, he said there’s something special within this group and how we all communicate with each other and we’re so close. So I recognize that and I realize how blessed I am to be here with that kind of atmosphere, so you obviously don’t want to lose that.”

Making it to Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final and losing on home ice last June was also another reason Carlo wanted to come back to Boston and if need be, for less than he may have gotten via an offer sheet.

“Throughout this experience and especially last year, we have a lot of unfinished business that we have to get buttoned up here,” Carlo said Monday during the press conference announcing his new deal that carries a cap hit of $2.8 million. “Hopefully we can do that within my time here in the next couple of years. I love it in this city, love being a part of it, love all of you guys, happy to be here.”

Carlo, 22, had a breakthrough season in 2018-19 becoming a shutdown defenseman on the team’s second pairing with Torey Krug. The 6’5, 212-pound rearguard had two goals and eight assists in 72 regular season games last season. Then in his first Stanley Cup playoff experience after being injured for the playoffs his first two seasons in the league, Carlo had two goals and two assists in 24 games. He became a major minutes eater for the Bruins in the playoffs averaging 21:31 on ice during the team’s run to Game 7.