The Carolina Hurricanes are gearing up for a major splash in free agency, with their sights set on Toronto Maple Leafs stars Mitch Marner and John Tavares.
Both players are set to hit the open market on July 1, and the Hurricanes aren’t planning to be shy with their checkbook.
The timing couldn’t be better for Carolina. They’re sitting on a massive $36 million in projected cap space, thanks partly to having young talent like Stankoven still on an entry-level deal.
"The Carolina Hurricanes are ‘expected to pursue’ Mitch Marner if he ends up hitting free agency this summer," reports Pierre LeBrun of TSN.
It’s a fascinating possibility for the Hurricanes, who already know a thing or two about making big moves – they’re the team that recently dealt Mikko Rantanen.
The Leafs’ dynamic duo might be ready for a change of scenery. Despite Toronto’s regular-season success, the team’s playoff struggles have been well-documented, and both players could be looking for a fresh start.
Marner, in particular, stands out as the biggest name potentially available this summer. With Rantanen now off the market, he’s become the crown jewel of this year’s free agent class.
The Hurricanes will need to make some decisions of their own. Several key players are heading to free agency, including:
- Taylor Hall
- Brent Burns
- Dmitry Orlov
- Frederik Andersen
But with that much cap space to play with, Carolina could reshape their roster in a major way. Landing either Marner or Tavares – or somehow both – would immediately make them an even bigger threat in the Eastern Conference.
The Maple Leafs still have time to re-sign their stars before July 1, but the clock is ticking. And the Hurricanes are clearly ready to pounce if they get the chance.
