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 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.

The biggest stunner of the NHL trade deadline was the Carolina Hurricanes trading Mikko Rantanen. Just weeks after picking him up from the Colorado Avalanche, they flipped him to the Dallas Stars after failed contract negotiations.

As per a report by The Fourth Period, the expectation remains that Mitch Marner will hit free agency this summer. He wants to stay with the Toronto Maple Leafs, but it’s clear after the recent report of his declining a trade for Mikko Rantanen that he wants to leverage his no-move clause,

NHL analyst JD Bunkis of Sportsnet predicts Toronto Maple Leafs star forward Mitch Marner will be leaving the team in free agency. The post Analyst Expects Mitch Marner to Leave Maple Leafs After Nixed Trade appeared first on Heavy Sports.