Before the trade deadline earlier this month, the Toronto Maple Leafs reportedly asked star forward Mitch Marner about waiving his no-movement clause to facilitate a trade with the Carolina Hurricanes that would have brought Mikko Rantanen to Toronto. Marner declined, while reiterating he wants to stay in Toronto.
Marner is also in the final year of his contract, and while the Maple Leafs have reportedly wanted to negotiate a contract extension in recent months he has maintained a stance to not do so during the season. So the 27-year old (28 on May 5), seems set to hit the open market on July 1 as arguably the top free agent available.
Marner leads the Maple Leafs with 82 points (21 goals, 61 assists) in 66 games this season. He has averaged just shy of 104 points per-82 games over the last four seasons. He is a solid-two way forward, having finished as high as third in the voting for the Selke Trophy (in 2022-23).
Hurricanes are lined up to renew their pursuit of Mitch Marner
TSN's Pierre LeBrun recently spoke to Hurricanes general manager Eric Tulsky, and relayed his expectation Carolina will pursue Marner if he hits the free agent market.
"As we know Carolina is always an active team, trying to take big swings", LeBrun said. "They will do that again this summer with all that cap room. But yeah, I'll say it. If Mitch Marner does go to market July 1, I would expect the Hurricanes to be one of the teams at least finding out if they can be on his list."
The Hurricanes have a shade over $36 million in cap space for 2025-26 right now (sixth-most in the league). LeBrun added how Tulsky suggested even if he tried to re-sign every player on an expiring contract Carolina would "still be $20 million under the salary cap this summer."
Carolina will of course have ample competition for Marner's services if he hits the open market, but they can also make him the best financial offer he'll see. And as long as his reason for not waiving his no-move clause at the trade deadline wasn't where the Maple Leafs wanted to send him, the Hurricanes will have as good a chance as anyone to land Marner if Toronto doesn't get a deal done to keep him.