The front office has already decided to make Marner a lifetime Leaf, and Marner has stated repeatedly he wants to remain in Toronto.

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.

Nearly two years ago, the Leafs lost leverage in the Mitch Marner contract situation and set the stage for Mikko Rantanen deadline talks.

Events of recent weeks have underlined that if the Leafs want to keep the pending UFA, they're going to have to bid against others to do it.

Toronto Maple Leafs forward Mitch Marner briefly addressed reports stating that he was asked to waive his no-move clause, following Saturday’s 7-4 loss to the Colorado Avalanche.

The fallout from the Trade Deadline is starting to settle, revealing more about the Carolina Hurricanes attempt to flip star winger Mikko Rantanen. The Dallas Stars ultimately won the sweepstakes, landing Rantanen and an eight-year extension in exchange for top young forward Logan Stankoven,

The NHL trade deadline came with a flurry of deals and there were a number of winners and losers. The Dallas Stars were able to acquire Mikko Rantanen from the Carolina Hurricanes, and that move may make Dallas the favorite to land the Stanley Cup.

Mitchell Marner might surpass Mikko Rantanen as the NHL's highest-paid free agent with a potential $12M+ deal coming his way this summer in free agency.