The Mikko Rantanen Trade Impacts the Leafs, But Not in the Way Everyone Thinks
Photo credit: Dan Hamilton-USA TODAY Sports
The Mikko Rantanen blockbuster had Leafs fans wondering if the Leafs should trade Mitch Marner, but one analyst revealed the trade has had the opposite affect.
On Friday, we saw the Colorado Avalanche trade a franchise cornerstone in an earth-shattering, three-team deal. Pending UFA Mikko Rantanen was shipped off to the Carolina Hurricanes in exchange for Jack Drury, Martin Necas and a pair of draft picks.
Since that time, many fans have been hoping for the Leafs to do something similar with Mitch Marner ahead of the trade deadline.
The return for a player like Marner would be high and would free up millions in cap space, but the major difference between Rantanen and Marner is Marner's full no-movement clause.
Trading Marner was a hot topic on Monday's edition of 'The Real Kyper and Bourne' that saw Nick Kypreos pour some cold water on any potential Marner trade with a remark that caught co-hosts Justin Bourne and Sam McKee off-guard.
"I think it's safe to say the Leafs are trying to sign him right now... If you look at these two guys (Rantanen and Marner), two of the best wingers in the league and they happen to be, as of now, available July 1st, so the comparables are right there.
There has been far too much discourse since the off-season about what a potential extension for Marner looks like with some suggesting he could get more than Auston Matthews and others believing that he shouldn't get paid much more than William Nylander. The consensus, however, is that there should be no extension until Marner proves he can perform in the playoffs.
There has been a mutual interest in an extension from both parties, but there has not been any real rush to get something done in-season the way the Leafs and Nylander did last year.
However, given the fact that the playoffs are only a few months away, the Leafs will have to decide if they want the lack of extension to become a distraction at a time where they struggle every season and their stars seemingly disappear.
Marner is one of four Leafs to play in all 50 games this season and has tallied 15 goals and 68 points, well on his way to eclipsing the 100-point plateau for the first time in his career.
There has been far too much discourse since the off-season about what a potential extension for Marner looks like with some suggesting he could get more than Auston Matthews and others believing that he shouldn't get paid much more than William Nylander. The consensus, however, is that there should be no extension until Marner proves he can perform in the playoffs.
There has been a mutual interest in an extension from both parties, but there has not been any real rush to get something done in-season the way the Leafs and Nylander did last year.
However, given the fact that the playoffs are only a few months away, the Leafs will have to decide if they want the lack of extension to become a distraction at a time where they struggle every season and their stars seemingly disappear.
Marner is one of four Leafs to play in all 50 games this season and has tallied 15 goals and 68 points, well on his way to eclipsing the 100-point plateau for the first time in his career.
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