Mitch Marner’s departure from the Toronto Maple Leafs has led to significant speculation regarding his potential landing spots. While rumors have surfaced regarding West Coast teams like the Los Angeles Kings and Anaheim Ducks making a strong push for Marner, one surprise East Coast team stands out.
The team in question is the Carolina Hurricanes who, according to insider David Pagnotta, could be poised to swing big for Mitch Marner by making him the highest-paid player in the NHL.
Pagnotta had this to say about the Hurricanes’ efforts to make Marner an offer he can’t refuse:
“When/if Mitch Marner hits the open market July 1, the expectation is the Carolina Hurricanes are going to take a massive swing to try and sign him. Sources say we shouldn’t be surprised if they go above $14M on an AAV over a 7-year term.”
The current highest-paid player is the Edmonton Oilers Leon Draisaitl who signed an eight-year $112-million deal earlier this season. Draisaitl’s deal comes with a $14 million AAV, surpassing Toronto Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews’ $13.25 AAV.
If Pagnotta is correct, the Hurricanes will be looking to up the ante in a bidding war for this offseason’s biggest free agent. With playoff MVP Sam Bennett expected to re-sign with the Florida Panthers, this year’s free-agent market will feature Mitch Marner along with Brock Boeser and Nikola Ehlers as the best available free agents.
Mitch Marner Is Superstar Hurricanes Seek after Rantanen Fiasco
The Hurricanes made the biggest splash of this season’s trade deadline by landing Mikko Rantanen from the Colorado Avalanche.
The hope was that Rantanen would become the superstar the Hurricanes don’t really have. The club contains a cadre of bona fide stars like Sebastian Aho, Andrei Svechnikov, and Seth Jarvis.
But the team lacks a true superstar who could lead the way.
The Canes thought that player would be Rantanen. But their failure to make meaningful progress on a contract extension prompted Carolina to pull the trigger and deal Rantanen to the Dallas Stars. The deal ultimately landed Logan Stankoven in Carolina.
The Rantanen fiasco left the Hurricanes still seeking that true superstar who could put them over the top. It seems the team feels that Mitch Marner could be that superstar. Plus, the Hurricanes are willing to put their money where their mouth is by ponying up to pay Marner this summer.
Would Mitch Marner Prefer to Play in California Instead of Carolina?
The allure of playing in California could appeal to Mitch Marner more than a relatively under-the-radar destination like Carolina.
If that’s the case, the team that could make an aggressive run for Marner could be the Anaheim Ducks. Team GM Pat Verbeek has been vocal about his plans to retool the club this offseason in hopes of making it back to the playoffs.
The Ducks already made true on their promise by trading for former 50-goal scorer Chris Kreider. With over $40 million in cap space, adding Kreider could just be the beginning of a forceful push to build a potential contender this offseason.
The way things are shaping up, it could be that the bidding war for Mitch Marner could come down to a couple of teams willing to outduel one another in hopes of landing a true superstar this offseason.
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