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The Carolina Hurricanes may have botched the Mikko Rantanen trade, but they will be looking to acquire another superstar to replace him this summer.
The organization is expected to take a run at Toronto Maple Leafs standout Mitch Marner in NHL free agency, TSN's Pierre LeBrun reported on Monday. Marner hasn't had any discussions about a contract extension with the Leafs and is expected to hit the open market to see how much money he can make, although a return to Toronto is of course on the table as well.
The Leafs reportedly asked Marner to waive his no-trade clause so they could acquire Rantanen at the deadline from the Hurricanes but he declined. The Finnish star ended up with the Dallas Stars, signing an eight-year deal worth $96 million.
Carolina is expected to have just over $35 million in cap space this summer. Logan Stankoven remains on an entry level contract, which gives them more flexibility. He came over in the Rantanen blockbuster. But, the Hurricanes have numerous other UFAs such as Brent Burns, Taylor Hall, and Frederik Anderson.
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That being said, Marner would be a game-changer. He's one of the best players in the league, leading the Maple Leafs in 2024-25 with 80 points. That includes 21 goals and 59 assists. While Marner has made it clear he loves Toronto, there's certainly the chance he leaves if they do not offer him a lucrative deal in free agency. That's if he does ultimately become a UFA.
The Hurricanes will have a plethora of options in the summer even if Marner didn't end up in Carolina, though. The free agent class looks to be strong, including Sam Bennett, John Tavares, Brock Boeser, and Brad Marchand. That's just a handful of names who will be available.
Carolina is seventh in the league in scoring and will be a team to watch in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. They're riding a seven-game winning streak and sit second in the Metropolitan Division.
