Mitch Marner has joined the Golden Knights thanks to a trade that has changed the landscape of the NHL. That move, according to a report by Elliotte Friedman, prevented another team from pursuing the Canadian star in free agency.
That was his surprising take on the 32 Thoughts Podcast. “If Mitch Marner got to free agency, a lot of people believed the biggest number was going to come out of Raleigh.”
That means the Hurricanes were ready to make another big splash, just like they did a few days ago when they signed Nikolaj Ehlers. Perhaps the fact that Marner chose Vegas after leaving Auston Matthews and the Toronto Maple Leafs forced Carolina to go after the former Jets star.
Which team did Mitch Marner go to?
In the end, Mitch Marner went to the Golden Knights after his tenure with the Toronto Maple Leafs. Now, the Canadian will look to dethrone Brad Marchand and the Florida Panthers by joining forces with Jack Eichel.
Additionally, the Hurricanes’ interest in Marner explains why the Leafs had no choice but to give him that contract extension right before the trade—so they could at least get something in return. In this case, it was Nicolas Roy.