A potential trade involving Mitch Marner, the Vegas Golden Knights, and Mikko Rantanen could have significantly altered the Stanley Cup Playoffs landscape. This major deal, however, never materialized.
According to reports, before the trade deadline, the Maple Leafs discussed a three-team trade with the Golden Knights and Carolina Hurricanes. This proposed deal would have sent Marner to Vegas and brought Rantanen to Toronto, but it collapsed because Vegas and Carolina couldn`t agree on the required trade components.
To facilitate the trade, the Golden Knights would have needed to send assets to the Hurricanes. Given Marner`s substantial $10.9 million salary cap hit, this package would likely have included at least one significant player from Vegas`s current roster.
It`s impossible to know how Marner`s addition might have boosted the Golden Knights` offense against the Edmonton Oilers in the second round, or if Rantanen`s blend of size and talent could have helped Toronto overcome the Florida Panthers. These hypothetical scenarios remain unanswered questions, likely to be debated by fans of all three teams.
Since the large three-way trade didn`t happen, Rantanen ended up being traded to the Dallas Stars in a separate deal that included young forward Logan Stankoven. Marner stayed with Toronto and is now expected to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1st.
When free agency opens on July 1st, all three teams involved in the previous trade discussions could potentially make offers for Marner. Despite recent playoff disappointments, keeping Marner in Toronto for at least a few more years, while perhaps unpopular with some, might still be a viable option as previously discussed when the team`s season concluded.
The Golden Knights are clearly focused on winning immediately, and their recent playoff performance highlighted a need for more offensive impact. Marner, ranking eighth in points over the last four seasons, fits this description perfectly. However, Vegas faces a major challenge with its salary cap; acquiring Marner would require significant salary shedding from their current roster.
Similar to Vegas, the Hurricanes need more offensive firepower to finally advance further in the playoffs. Marner`s addition would provide the kind of elite playmaking ability that Carolina has notably lacked when facing the top teams in the Eastern Conference.
