Toronto Maple Leafs general manager Brad Treliving voiced his support for Mitch Marner following reports the two sides discussed a move to the Carolina Hurricanes before Friday’s trade deadline.
“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,” Treliving said after the Maple Leafs skated in Utah Sunday. “It’s not a distraction… but it’s just not a question we’re going to get into every day.”
Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reported Saturday that the Hurricanes asked the Maple Leafs for Marner in trade talks involving Mikko Rantanen. Friedman’s reporting also revealed that the Maple Leafs approached Marner about the offer, but the star winger shut down the discussions by using his no-movement clause.
Marner, who is on pace to record his first 100-point season, is set to become an unrestricted free agent this summer.
“I wasn’t focused on it. I had a feeling that maybe something might happen,” Marner said after scoring two goals against the Avalanche Saturday night. “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.”
Sportsnet’s Nick Kypreos reported Friday that the Maple Leafs’ final offer to the Hurricanes included two first-round picks and top prospects Easton Cowan and Fraser Minten. Kypreos added that the Maple Leafs were comfortable offering Rantanen a contract offer north of $105 million over eight years.
The Hurricanes, according to Kypreos, preferred to move Rantanen to the Western Conference and instead traded him to the Dallas Stars for two first-round picks and young forward Logan Stankoven. The Stars then signed Rantanen to an eight-year, $96 million extension.
The Maple Leafs pivoted from Rantanen and moved one first-round pick to the Flyers for Scott Laughton and the other, along with Minten, to the Bruins for Brandon Carlo.
