NHL Trade Rumors: Carolina Hurricanes eyeing $65,408,000 Maple Leafs superstar amid free agency speculations

The Carolina Hurricanes will not shy away from targeting star players any time soon. After the Mikko Rantanen situation, some may have thought that Eric Tulsky would play it more conservatively moving forward, but that won't be the case.

Carolina is set to have plenty of cap space this summer and it plans on utilizing it aggressively. One player the team was linked to at the deadline was another pending unrestricted free agent in the final season of a six-year $65,408,000 contract (per Spotrac), Mitch Marner.

The Hurricanes were reportedly seeking Marner in return for Rantanen if the Maple Leafs wanted to join the sweepstakes. According to TSN Hockey insider Pierre LeBrun, expect the Canes to target Marner again this summer if he tests the free agent market.

"But yeah, I’ll say it, I mean if Mitch Marner does go to market July 1st I would expect the Hurricanes to be one of the teams at least finding out if they can be on his list," LeBrun said on Monday, via 'That's Hockey.' "Because they tried to trade for him as we know that's been reported.”

Marner would likely be the No. 1 player on the free agent board should he be available come July 1. He is having another productive season, racking up 80 points (21 goals, 59 assists) through 65 games.

The Carolina Hurricanes are on fire

Despite having star players Martin Necas and Mikko Rantanen walk out the door, the Carolina Hurricanes continue to win games.

The Canes have won seven consecutive matchups, including four in a row since the March 7 NHL trade deadline. At 41-22-4, Carolina has 86 points and is second in the Metropolitan division. The team is likely to match up with the No. 3-seeded New Jersey Devils in the first round of the playoffs, who are without superstar Jack Hughes.

Trade deadline acquisitions Logan Stankoven and Mark Jankowski have fit in well. Through their first four games, Stankoven has two points (one goal, one assist), while Jankowski has four points (four goals).

The Carolina Hurricanes will look to extend their winning streak to eight on Thursday when they continue a four-game road trip in San Jose against the Sharks. The puck drops at 10:30 p.m. EST at SAP Center.