The Toronto Maple Leafs nearly put the NHL on its side in one of the biggest trades in recent history.
The Maple Leafs were rumored to have offered Mitch Marner to the Carolina Hurricanes for Mikko Rantanen. It would have been a blockbuster, but NHL insider James Mirtle of The Athletic revealed there was more to it.
Mirtle reports the deal was actually a three-way trade that would have sent Marner to the Vegas Golden Knights, Rantanen to Toronto, and other assets to Carolina.
“According to league sources, there were also discussions around a Marner-to-Vegas transaction before the trade deadline this year,” Mirtle wrote. “A move that would have involved the Hurricanes in a three-way deal. Theoretically, the Leafs would have received Mikko Rantanen while the Golden Knights got Marner and sent something to Carolina.
“It’s unclear just how far those talks went, or if Marner was asked to waive his no-movement clause to go to Vegas,” Mirtle added. “But it sounds like what killed the deal was Vegas and Carolina failing to find the right assets to include to get it done — not anything on the Toronto side. (The Hurricanes ended up landing Logan Stankoven, two first-round picks and two third-round picks from Dallas for Rantanen.)”
Had the trade happened, it would have been a blockbuster. It also likely could have changed how the playoffs turned out for the Maple Leafs, Golden Knights, and Hurricanes.
Maple Leafs’ Marner Was Asked to Waive No-Trade Clause
Marner’s name was out there as a potential trade candidate at the deadline, but no deal got done.
It was then reported that talks were serious enough that Marner was asked to waive his no-trade clause, which he declined. Marner was asked about the trade rumors, which he didn’t feed much into.
“I wasn’t focused on it. I had a feeling that maybe something might happen,” Marner said after being asked to waive his no-trade clause. “But, yeah, I’m here to play hockey with this team, like I said, and I’m focused with this team. And that’s what I can tell you.”
Maple Leafs’ general manager Brad Treliving, meanwhile, tried to downplay it and said he wants Marner in Toronto.
“We’re aligned with Mitch, we’re worried about this season. We’re worried about the games we have coming up. We want Mitch here for a long time,” said Treliving. “It’s not a distraction, but like I said we think the world of him. But, it’s just not a question we’re going to get into every day.”
Marner ended up finishing the year with a career-high 102 points.
Marner Still Deciding Future Amid Looming Free Agency
After Toronto didn’t trade Marner, the star forward can now leave for nothing as a free agent.
At the end of the season, Marner said he was still uncertain about his future and still had to think about it.
“I’ve always loved my time here, I’ve loved being here,” Marner said. “I’ve been so grateful. I haven’t processed anything yet. It’s still so fresh… I’ll sit down with my wife. I’ll start talking and trying to figure out what the next steps are.”
Marner is a three-time NHL All-Star.
Insider Reveals Stunning 3-Team Trade Involving Maple Leafs’ Dealing Marner