As has been extensively covered here and by several NHL insiders, the Toronto Maple Leafs made a serious push to acquire Mikko Rantanen before the NHL trade deadline. In fact, the Leafs engaged in multiple trade discussions with the Carolina Hurricanes, offering what is believed to be three different packages in an attempt to land the star forward.
The Leafs were ultimately unsuccessful, but this shows how badly GM Brad Treliving tried to make a trade work before the Hurricanes shifted in another direction.
The Maple Leafs Went to Marner First
Toronto’s first attempt to land Rantanen centered around Mitch Marner. Hurricanes’ GM Eric Tulsky made the suggestion, and because it was Rantanen, the Leafs felt it important to find out where Marner sat.
Elliotte Friedman reported that the Hurricanes made it clear they wanted Marner over anything else, so the Leafs approached him about a possible trade. The Leafs told Marner their preference was to sign him, but they felt this was too big an opportunity not to explore with Rantanen if Marner wasn’t long enough to stay with the organization. However, Marner exercised his no-trade clause and refused to waive it.
This decision has sparked questions about Marner’s long-term future with the team. Some believe it proves his loyalty to the Leafs, but others wonder if he will stay loyal over the summer and when free agency approaches.
Leafs Pivot: Talk Knies and More in Trade
With Marner unwilling to move, Toronto shifted its focus to a package centered around young forward Matthew Knies. Chris Johnston of The Athletic reported:
Subsequent discussions between the teams went on to include the possibility of Toronto sending Matthew Knies and significant other future assets…
source – ‘Mitch Marner’s future takes center stage in NHL after ground-shaking trade deadline’ – Chris Johnston – The Athletic – 03/08/2025
While it’s unclear if Carolina seriously considered the offer, reports suggest the Leafs were not entirely sold on moving Knies and ultimately decided to back off of those conversations. The Leafs value Knies a great deal, and the risk might not have been worth the reward, especially considering Knies was a pending RFA and was under some level of contract control.
Unlike the players offered by the Leafs in their final pitch, Knies’s future in the NHL is certain. His ceiling hasn’t been reached, but Toronto knows this is an incredible player.
Final Attempt: Minten, Cowan, and Two Firsts
When the Knies talks didn’t go anywhere, it was reported that the Maple Leafs made one final offer in their last attempt to acquire Rantanen. This offer was similar to what the Dallas Stars ended up sending to Carolina.
Treliving proposed a package of top prospects Fraser Minten and Easton Cowan, along with two first-round picks. In the end, the Hurricanes preferred Logan Stankoven and what he could bring the Hurricanes right away. Not only that, but speculation is the Hurricanes felt it more important to avoid sending Rantanen to a team in the Eastern Conference. Fearing a potential playoff matchup against the Leafs, by pushing Rantanen out West, at worst, the Hurricanes would see their former player in the Final.
Rantanen Was Willing to Sign with the Maple Leafs
An interesting development in this whole saga was the news that Rantanen appeared ready to sign a long-term deal with Toronto. There are mixed reports about the four teams Rantanen was open to signing with—Dallas and the Florida Panthers seem to be the consensus picks—but Toronto was in the mix.
Few expected the Leafs to be among the frontrunners for Rantanen, but their aggressive pursuit of the star winger signals that they were willing to take a swing and deal with the Marner fallout later. They also felt Rantanen could have been such a difference-maker that they were willing to trade a handful of their top prospects to get him on the roster and signed.