Mitch Marner to Vegas, Mikko Rantanen to Toronto: A Blockbuster Trade That Almost Happened…
Last summer, the Carolina Hurricanes were heavily involved in trade rumors surrounding Martin Necas, largely due to his apparent reluctance to commit to the team long-term. Eventually, and without much attention, Necas was traded to the Colorado Avalanche during the season.
What made this departure relatively quiet, especially considering Necas’s talent, was that Colorado sent Mikko Rantanen in return—a high-profile player nearing the end of his contract with no extension in place. However, Rantanen had no intention of staying in Carolina and was subsequently dealt to the Dallas Stars at the trade deadline, where a lucrative contract awaited him.
This chain of events explains Carolina’s ongoing search for a marquee player. While they received promising prospect Logan Stankoven in the deal, he lacks the star power of someone like Mitch Marner. Despite Marner’s underwhelming playoff performance, he remains a significant name in the league. The Hurricanes had attempted to acquire him in recent months, but the deal ultimately fell through.
At the trade deadline, there was serious discussion about a potential swap involving Rantanen and Marner. However, Marner declined to waive his no-movement clause to join Carolina—a decision that hasn’t stopped the Hurricanes from possibly pursuing him again this offseason.
Interestingly, insider James Mirtle (The Athletic) revealed that the Maple Leafs and Hurricanes had discussed a more complex three-team trade involving Marner and Rantanen. In this proposed scenario, Rantanen would head to Toronto, Marner would go to the Vegas Golden Knights, and Carolina would receive other assets to complete the deal.
It remains unclear whether Marner would have accepted such a move, especially considering he recently welcomed a newborn into his family, which may have influenced his desire to stay home.
Ultimately, the proposed trade was derailed by the uncertainty around what Vegas would offer to Carolina. It had the potential to be a historic deal. In the end, Carolina opted to send Rantanen to Dallas in exchange for Logan Stankoven, two first-round draft picks, and two third-rounders.
What Vegas had on the table remains unknown. Whether the Golden Knights can clear cap space to pursue Marner this summer is still up in the air.
