Hurricanes Inquired About Maple Leafs Star Player

The NHL trade deadline drama reached new heights Friday when Mikko Rantanen landed with the Dallas Stars – but not before an fascinating plot twist involving the Toronto Maple Leafs and their star forward Mitch Marner.

The Stars paid a hefty price, sending Logan Stankoven, two first-round picks, and two third-round picks to Carolina. They quickly locked up Rantanen with an eight-year deal.

But here’s where it gets interesting.

Before the Dallas deal, Carolina tried to pry Marner away from Toronto. The Leafs had initially offered a package of young players, prospects, and multiple first-rounders for Rantanen.

The Hurricanes weren’t having it. They wanted Marner instead.

What’s really surprising is that Toronto didn’t immediately shoot down the idea. They actually went to Marner to see if he’d waive his no-movement clause for Carolina. He said no, and that’s when Dallas stepped in.

The fact that the Leafs even considered moving Marner shows just how badly they wanted Rantanen. After all, Marner’s been a cornerstone in Toronto for eight years and is one of the NHL’s best playmakers.

But there’s more to this story.

Marner’s future in Toronto isn’t exactly secure. He can become a free agent after this season, and the Leafs’ core group – including Auston Matthews, John Tavares, and William Nylander – keeps coming up short in the playoffs.

If Toronto crashes out in the first round again this year, big changes could be coming.

The whole situation gets even trickier when you consider how this might affect Marner’s contract talks. He’s always been incredibly loyal to the Leafs, but finding out they were willing to trade him – even for someone as good as Rantanen – might change things.

Carolina had grabbed Rantanen from Colorado earlier this season, hoping he’d help them win a Stanley Cup. That plan didn’t work out – he never quite fit in, and it became clear he wouldn’t re-sign.

The Hurricanes still look like serious contenders in the East, even after moving Rantanen. They’re betting the haul they got from Dallas, especially rising star Stankoven, will pay off in the long run.

Meanwhile, Toronto settled for smaller moves at the deadline, picking up Scott Laughton from Philadelphia and Brandon Carlo from Boston.