Despite the turmoil of his regular season, Mikko Rantanen has been the best player in the postseason. But what could he have earned if he did not sign with the Stars?

Just two days after a season-ending 6-1 loss to the Florida Panthers in Game 7 of the second-round series in the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs, the Toronto Maple Leafs held their end-of-season media availability.

Remember when the Toronto Maple Leafs were interested in Mikko Rantanen before he was traded from the Dallas Stars? There were reports that Mitch Marner refused to waive his no-movement clause and so the deal fell through.

Mitch Marner could have brought a star to Toronto before Marner bolted as a UFA. Not doing so could ruin his legacy with the Maple Leafs.

Mitch Marner loves Toronto. How can you blame him? Just under 10 years ago, the kid from Markham was drafted by his boyhood club. Since then, he’s scored 741 in 657 games with the Maple Leafs logo on his jersey.

Tavares, like Marner, grew up in the Toronto area dreaming of being a Maple Leaf. When he left the New York Islanders to sign a seven-year, $77 million contract ($11 million average annual value) on July 1, 2018, he publicly announced his decision by posting a childhood photo on social media of sleeping under Maple Leafs covers.