Maple Leafs forward Mitch Marner declined a trade that included Mikko Rantanen at the NHL trade deadline and gave his reaction.

Nearly two years ago, the Leafs lost leverage in the Mitch Marner contract situation and set the stage for Mikko Rantanen deadline talks.

The Toronto Maple Leafs made a splash at the NHL’s 2025 trade deadline Friday, pulling off two significant deals to improve the team. But according to a Sportsnet report, the Leafs could’ve made a blockbuster move by trading star right winger Mitch Marner to Carolina for star right winger Mikko Rantanen.

The Carolina Hurricanes had plenty of trade offers for star forward Mikko Rantanen ahead of Friday’s NHL trade deadline, and ultimately the 28-year-old sniper was dealt to the Dallas Stars in exchange for center prospect Logan Stankoven,

The Carolina Hurricanes Mikko Rantanen saga was quite an ordeal over the past week, finally concluding with him being traded to the Dallas Stars for Logan Stankoven, two first-round picks and two third-round picks on Friday afternoon.

Rantanen was reportedly blindsided by the late-January trade that saw him move away from the NHL team, where he won the Stanley Cup in 2022 and had spent his entire career since being taken 10th overall in the 2015 draft. In 12 games with the Hurricanes, Rantanen has put up two goals and four assists for six points.

The Toronto Maple Leafs were extremely active during deadline day on Friday (Mar. 7) bringing in Brandon Carlo from the Boston Bruins and Scott Laughton from the Philadelphia Flyers, while also moving Connor Dewar and Conor Timmins to the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Elliotte Friedman is reporting that the Toronto Maple Leafs approached superstar forward Mitch Marner and asked if he would consider waiving his no-move clause to facilitate a trade in an effort to acquire Mikko Rantanen from the Carolina Hurricanes.

With the NHL trade deadline set for tomorrow at 3 p.m. EST, the Toronto Maple Leafs just might have a trick or two up their sleeve.