Mitch Marner appears set to depart the Maple Leafs this off-season, but according to a report, he was almost moved to the Vegas Golden Knights this past season.
The Toronto Maple Leafs are expected to lose Mitch Marner in free agency this summer, and while many have expressed frustration that the team could lose him for nothing, it wasn't without the front office trying to move him.
The offer to the Carolina Hurricanes for Mikko Rantanen was well publicized, with Marner reportedly using his no-trade clause to turn that deal down, but it wasn't the only time Toronto tried to move him.
A report from Elliotte Friedman has recently come out, where the NHL's top insider details discussions between Toronto and the Vegas Golden Knights from this past season, who talked about a deal involving Marner and star defenseman Shea Theodore.
Obviously, that deal never came to fruition, and it's unclear exactly what the details around a potential trade would be, but it's safe to say that if Brad Treliving and Kelly McCrimmon pulled the trigger on this one, it would have completely changed the landscape of the NHL.
Now though, the Golden Knights are a top contender to land Marner in free agency this summer, so this may have played out perfectly for them, as they too look to change things up after a fairly disappointing end to their quest for the Stanley Cup in 2025.
Ultimately though, they'll need to make some moves to fit Marner and his contract into their organization this off-season, so it won't be completely without loss for this team, but their interest in Marner dating back to this trade talk certainly shows that they're ready to pay up to land the star winger.
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