The NHL playoffs could have looked completely different if a massive three-team trade hadn’t fallen through earlier this season.
The Vegas Golden Knights, Toronto Maple Leafs, and Carolina Hurricanes were close to pulling off a blockbuster deal that would have sent Mitch Marner to Vegas and Mikko Rantanen to Toronto, according to James Mirtle of The Athletic.
But the deal collapsed when Vegas and Carolina couldn’t agree on the final pieces.
It’s a trade that would have shaken up the NHL landscape. Marner’s huge $10.9 million salary cap hit meant Vegas would have needed to send significant talent to Carolina to make the numbers work.
Now fans can only wonder: Would Marner’s offensive firepower have helped Vegas put up a better fight against Edmonton? Could Rantanen’s mix of size and scoring touch have changed Toronto’s fate against Florida?
We’ll never know for sure. Instead, Rantanen ended up with the Dallas Stars in exchange for promising young forward Logan Stankoven, while Marner stayed put in Toronto.
But here’s where it gets interesting – Marner becomes a free agent on July 1.
All three teams that were involved in those trade talks could make a play for him. The 26-year-old star ranks eighth in NHL points over the last four seasons, making him one of the league’s most dynamic playmakers.
For Toronto, keeping their core group together might make sense, even if some fans won’t love that decision.
Vegas desperately needs more offensive punch after their playoff run showed some scoring weaknesses. But fitting Marner’s salary under their cap would require some serious roster juggling.
The Hurricanes might have the most interesting case. They’ve been knocking on the door of playoff success, and adding an elite playmaker like Marner could be exactly what they need to finally break through in the Eastern Conference.
July 1 is going to be fascinating to watch.
