In a stunning revelation, NHL insider Elliotte Friedman stated that the Toronto Maple Leafs were willing to trade Mitch Marner to the Carolina Hurricanes for Mitch Marner.
On Saturday Headlines during the second intermission of the Toronto Maple Leafs-Colorado Avalanche game, Friedman stated that the Leafs were pushing to get Rantanen. However, the Hurricanes' initial ask was Marner for Rantanen.
Friedman went on to state that the Leafs talked to Marner about approving the trade. Per Friedman, Marner said no because he still wants to sign in Toronto.
Talk about a shocking revelation. Friedman is as good as it gets in the business. So, if he’s running with this on Hockey Night in Canada, it’s as good as gold.
There are two key takeaways, here. First, the Leafs were willing to lay everything on the table to make a significant move. All the talk about the Leafs being unwilling to make major moves has now been silenced. A Marner-for-Rantanen trade would have been a stunner that could have ground the entire trade deadline to a halt.
Second, Marner nixed the trade because he wanted to stay in Toronto. That revelation is most welcome as it signals that, despite the lack of a contract extension in place, Marner was willing to pass on a move to Carolina. The Hurricanes would have showered Marner with money, but Marner was willing to pass on it.
Mitch Marner Likely to Stay with Toronto Maple Leafs
Following Friedman’s comments, it seems that Mitch Marner is willing to stay in Toronto. Even though talks about a contract extension stalled early this season, it seems that Marner is committed to getting a deal done.
As such, it seems that Marner and the Toronto Maple Leafs will likely hammer out a deal once the playoffs are done. Marner is more than focused on finishing out the season and getting set for the playoffs.
But I will make a bold prediction, here: My sense tells me that Marner was waiting for the trade deadline to see just how committed the Leafs were to winning. Auston Matthews echoed that sentiment by calling out Leafs management prior to the deadline deals that landed Scott Laughton and Brandon Carlo.
Post-deadline, it seems that Matthews and Marner are fired up. Their game against the revamped Colorado Avalanche is proof they are committed to winning in the Blue and White. So, I would be surprised if a Marner extension is suddenly dropped between now and the end of the regular season.
The Leafs know how much cap space they’ll be working with. There are no lingering doubts about adding a player like Rantanen. And, the Leafs are poised to be a serious contender in the Eastern Conference this season.
As someone who’s followed the Leafs since the mid-80s, I have to say this time in team history is reminiscent of the buzz surrounding the Leafs team that met Wayne Gretzky in the Conference Final in 1993.
For the record, that was a high stick.