The Toronto Maple Leafs almost traded right winger Mitch Marner to the Vegas Golden Knights at the deadline. Toronto once again had a great regular season that ended in playoff heartbreak. Marner was the most productive player statistically on the Maple Leafs this season, leading the team with 102 points and ranking fifth overall in the NHL.
The three-time All-Star, however, almost found himself on a new team according to a recent report by The Athletic’s James Mirtle. The NHL writer confirmed that the Maple Leafs, Vegas Golden Knights, and Carolina Hurricanes were on the verge of a three-way trade that would’ve sent Mitch Marner to Vegas and Mikko Rantanen to Toronto.
Like Marner, Rantanen is an accomplished player and a multi-time All-Star. But this likely would’ve been a rough move for Toronto, especially considering the season Marner went on to have. It is clear, however, that there is somewhat of a glass ceiling on this current core, at least for now. The Maple Leafs have now made the playoffs nine straight seasons, but only won two series during that span.
This year’s team beat the Ottawa Senators in the first round before falling to the eventual Eastern Conference champion Florida Panthers in seven games. While there’s no shame in losing to the defending champs, the 6-1 Game 7 defeat at home was not how this team wanted its season to end. One consequence of this result was a front office overhaul, which included team president Brendan Shanahan’s contract not being renewed.
Overall, it’s clear that Toronto is aggressively trying to maximize its championship window during the Auston Matthews era. The 27-year-old still has plenty of prime yet, and the Maple Leafs will have their annual high expectations heading into next season. But the fanbase is growing restless. Time and time again, seasons have ended abruptly in the playoffs. It feels like this franchise’s time is coming, but perhaps a blockbuster trade is on the horizon to really take the Maple Leafs to the next level.
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