Insider: Maple Leafs Were Pitched on a Marner Trade More Than Once This Season

It was a mind-blowing revelation when we learned a day after the deadline that the Carolina Hurricanes had made the Toronto Maple Leafs a shocking offer of Mikko Rantanen for Mitch Marner. We even learned that the Leafs had to go to Marner to ask if he would be open to waiving his no-move clause.

But now we're hearing, courtesy of insider Frank Seravalli of Daily Faceoff , that that wasn't the only time this season that a team came to the Leafs to pitch them on a Marner trade. The Hurricanes also went to Toronto earlier in the season, before they had landed Rantanen:

The Carolina Hurricanes had called and inquired about Mitch Marner that week, before pulling off the deal for Mikko Rantanen (on Jan. 24th). Obviously the same ask came this time around for the Canes for Toronto in a straight up swap, but in the end, Marner wasn't willing to waive his no-trade clause. And I don't have any evidence yet that the Maple Leafs asked Mitch Marner to waive also in January.

The Hurricanes eventually had to settle for Logan Stankoven, a conditional first-round pick in the 2026 NHL Draft, a conditional first-round pick in 2028, a third-round pick in 2026 and a third-round selection in 2027, (along with Taylor Hall in the original trade), essentially, in return for Martin Necas and Jack Drury. No Marner.

The situation has already caused some waves in Leafland, as GM Brad Treliving had to call an impromptu news conference last weekend to try to calm things down.

All the talk certainly hasn't affected the pending UFA Marner, who is having his best season as he plays for a massive contract this summer. He has 80 points in 64 games, placing him 7th in league scoring, with a plus/minus rating of +10. He's expected to ask for a contract at least in the $13 to 14 million a year range.