NHL Insider Reveals Why the Maple Leafs Are Contemplating a Mikko Rantanen Trade

Mikko Rantanen is a player who was shockingly traded from the Colorado Avalanche to the Carolina Hurricanes about a month ago.

Since then, it has been reported that the forward is unsure about his desire to re-sign in Carolina, and this has led to rumors that he may just get traded again, especially with the deadline coming up.

With the Toronto Maple Leafs negotiating a new deal with Mitch Marner, a player of similar skillset to Rantanen, there have been rumors that Brad Treliving might be interested, or at the very least tempted.

While most would assume this means the Leafs taking a run at Rantanen in the offseason as insurance if Marner leaves, it appears as though Treliving might be more aggressive.

According to a new report from Nick Kypreos, the Maple Leafs should not be ruled out as a team looking to make a Rantanen trade at the deadline. Essentially, they believe he would make the team instant cup contenders and that when it comes time to negotiate a new deal, he will be there if Marner chooses to walk.

There are some holes that can be poked in this theory, however. Of course, the first being that what happens in the offseason? The Leafs can't sign both, so do they then have to cut one loose? If so, the trade will have been for nothing, unless they win the cup, of course.

Not to mention, a Rantanen trade would take a whole bunch of assets that the Leafs don't exactly have right now. The assets required to make this deal happen are the ones the Leafs do not want to part ways with.

Needless to say, Kypreos' assertions are a bit ridiculous, to say the least. While the Leafs could certainly go after Rantanen in free agency, a trade deadline move seems a bit absurd.

These next couple of weeks are definitely going to be fascinating, and we cannot wait to see how all of this plays out.