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Penguins' Angle on Marner Trade Rumors: Why Pittsburgh Was Watching Closely
Mitch Marner infamously declined a trade to the Carolina Hurricanes at the Trade Deadline, but could the Penguins still make a move with the Hurricanes?
Mitch Marner, who is now with the Vegas Golden Knights, explained recently that he didn't want to join the Carolina Hurricanes at the Trade Deadline because of his family situation.
The whole Carolina thing comes up in the middle of the season. It's a bit of an awkward one. My wife was six or seven months pregnant, we really didn't want to be a deadline player. I would have had to leave and go back to Toronto because my wife wasn't coming down with me, so I was moving into Carolina myself if I did that. The logistics of it and everything, it just didn't make sense and then from that point on, we told [the Maple Leafs] we were committed to [Toronto] and we were going to play it all out.
Marner was then sent to the Golden Knights in a major sign and trade move that netted the Maple Leafs Nicolas Roy in return.
What Marner's Carolina Trade Talk Could Have Meant for the Penguins
Had Marner been acquired by the Hurricanes, it would have given an already strong Metro Division team an even bigger weapon for them to use for long-term success. The Penguins, who have already had their hands full with the Hurricanes over the years, would have to face Marner at least 4 times a year.
How Pittsburgh Factors Into the Leafs' and Hurricanes' Deadline Decisions
The Hurricanes and Maple Leafs have all been named as potential locations that the Penguins could trade players like Bryan Rust, Rickard Rakell, and Erik Karlsson to.
In the days leading up to the Deadline after it was clear the Penguins would not be part of the playoffs for a 3rd straight year, the rumors around the aforementioned players began to intensify more.
This summer, GM Kyle Dubas hasn't yet been able to find a trade partner for any of them, though the Leafs and Hurricanes have all been linked to at least one of Rust, Rickell, and Karlsson.
| POLL | ||
AOUT 31 | 25 ANSWERS Penguins' Angle on Marner Trade Rumors: Why Pittsburgh Was Watching Closely Should the Penguins have taken a swing at Mitch Marner? | ||
| Yes | 6 | 24 % |
| No | 19 | 76 % |
| List of polls | ||