Reports: Hurricanes Asked Maple Leafs For Mitch Marner In Exchange For Mikko Rantanen Before NHL Trade Deadline

Marner is in the final season of a six-year contract he signed with Toronto in September 2019.

Maple Leafs forward Mitch Marner could've gone to the Carolina Hurricanes on Friday ahead of the NHL's trade deadline.

According to Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman, the Hurricanes "initially asked" for Marner in return for the Rantanen, and although Toronto considered it, they'd rather try to sign Marner long-term.

"The Hurricanes initially asked for Mitch Marner in return for Rantanen. Because it was for Rantanen, the Maple Leafs had to consider it," Friedman reported. "They told the winger their desire is to sign him, but they had to ask in this case. As is his right, Marner declined to move, re-iterating his desire to stay. 

"Neither the Maple Leafs, the Hurricanes, nor Marner’s agent, Darren Ferris, would comment. But that could have been the biggest blockbuster of the week."

This report comes nearly 24 hours after Sportsnet's Nick Kypreos said that Toronto has Fraser Minten, Easton Cowan, and two first-round picks on the table for Rantanen before Carolina declined it and sent the 28-year-old Finn to the Dallas Stars.

According to The Athletic's Chris Johnston, who wrote an article about Marner having "the hockey world in his magical hockey hands," the Toronto-born forward was not interested in moving to Carolina.

"The Leafs-Hurricanes talks began with Carolina wondering if a Marner-for-Rantanen deal might be a possibility, according to league sources. But that was a non-starter with Marner holding a no-movement clause in his contract and wielding full control over his situation," Johnston wrote.

"The Leafs approached Marner before the deadline and told him that their first choice was for him to sign an extension in Toronto but that a trade to Carolina was possible if he didn’t want to do that. Marner said he wanted to remain with the Leafs."

Johnston added: "Toronto expressed interest in getting down to business on a contract extension in recent months, but the Marner camp was unwilling to engage during the season, according to league sources."

Marner is in the final season of a six-year, $65.41 million contract he signed with the Toronto in September 2019. He entered the top-five in Maple Leafs franchise scoring this season, with 213 goals and 503 assists in 637 games.

He leads all players on the Maple Leafs in points this season with 19 goals and 58 assists for 77 points in 61 games. With the NHL's salary cap rising to $95.5 million next season, it appears likely Marner is looking for a big payday.

But will the Maple Leafs retain and win the sweepstakes for the 27-year-old's services? By the sounds of it, we'll probably know the answer to that question once the postseason concludes.

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