JD POV: Mikko, talk to me. Mitch, pack your bags.

In a special segment from our most recent episode, Jason Demers breaks down the bizarre Mikko Rantanen drama following the NHL Trade Deadline and explains why he thinks Mitch Marner should leave the Toronto Maple Leafs this summer and go somewhere he's appreciated.
To hear this episode in its entirely, check out Episode 15 with actor Michael Rosenbaum.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:04):
NHL Unscripted is a production of the NHL and iHeart podcasts.

Speaker 2 (00:08):
The whole thing with Ranton in all season long, it's
been so diluted, it's been so weird, the way he
left Colorado, all the issues with Tulsky and Carolina. I
think Tulski made the biggest mistake out of anybody through
this whole, this whole debacle of a season for Miko Rannon,
and not only Miko Rannon, but the Carolina Hurricanes. I

(00:28):
think they do well in the playoffs. I don't think
they have a chance of winning with what they've done.
For them to make a trade without you heard Marty
Nachs come out and say, I don't know why they
would trade for somebody that they don't aren't one hundred
percent she is going to sign. So I think, you know,
the whole issue with Carolina is just taking a like that.
There's taking a swing and then there's just being absolutely foolish,

(00:52):
and this was just foolish. I just don't think they
needed to make that trade. Marty Nachius is still a
great player. They could have found somebody else in trade,
or they could have signed somebody. I just don't know
what's going on, and I think Rod Brendemar got frustrated
with the whole situation and maybe just spoke out of turn.
But again, this we don't there's so many unknowns with

(01:14):
Miko Ranton and his agent and this whole season surrounding him, Like,
I don't know what's true with this. I just know
that it's been a mess and now he's in Dallas
and Jim Nill reaps the benefits and Jim Neill, who's
another fantastic GM, and I talk about levels. I didn't
even mention Billy Zito, but Jim nil is just so
fantastic as a GM and he just finds the right angles.

(01:35):
And Logan Stankven is a great player. But Miko Ranton
and on that team is exactly what they need and
he's just such an high impact player. And it's just
the difference between gms, Like I think Telsky just got
a little bit ahead of his skis and Jim Nill
just took advantage. And I just it's weird though. It's

(01:56):
just such a weird season. And Rod Brandamar, I think
it's just so frustrated with the situation. In the past
two years, the guys they've missed out on the guys
they've let go. It's just frustrating. There's guys I know
in Carolina that just kind of it's been tough for them,
like they've I got a few texts of just guys
being like, I don't know what we're doing. And nothing
against those guys and nothing against the GM You're they're

(02:18):
trying to do stuff. But that's frustrating for a team
when you think you have a team that can win
the Cup and then you lose such a big player
like that and the return is good, but it's not great.
It's not like, Okay, we're knocking the side of the park.
It's like, oh, okay, yeah, we got a good player
and we got a couple of good players. Like, yeah,
we're worse soft than we were before the trade deadline.

Speaker 1 (02:36):
Yeah, the Hurricanes is definitely one of the losers of
the trade deadline. However, the whole rant and drama, it's
even crazier because it extends to Leaf's nation. The Hurricanes
asked about Mitch Marner as explored potential rants and trade.
The Leafs poorly ask Martner, but waving his full no
trade clause has expected leaves fans and media have now
gone nuts. Marna, by the way, is the UFA this summer.
Do you think Mitch Martin's gonna come back to the

(02:58):
Maple Leafs.

Speaker 2 (02:59):
I wouldn't if I was him. I'm just telling you
right now, Mitch Marner, if you hear this, I'd be
running for the hills, because not only has the not
only has the fan base abused.

Speaker 1 (03:10):
You been very tough on him.

Speaker 2 (03:12):
Been very tough on him come playoff time, and it's
not it's not been his fault. And I've been hard
on him just as much and said, hey, he's one
of the guys that haven't picked it up in the playoffs.
But he has carried this team for the most part
this season. He has been one of one of the
if not the best player. The fact that and listen,
Brad Tree Living, I tweeted the other night, in a
haze of rage, said I don't think Mitch Barter's resigning.

(03:35):
I think Brad Tree Living. I think the GMing has
been very bad in the NHL. People, I say, people
thought you called out three well, people thought I said
Brad Tree Living was a bad GM. I think he's
done some great moves. And Kyle Duba's kind of hurt
this team. But I think that move specifically. Listen, I
asked a couple guys straight up, I said, okay, I said,

(03:57):
if you're going to trade Miko Ranton in for Mitch Martin,
would you make that trade? I wouldn't make that trade.
Why wouldn't I make that trade? Because Number one, I
think I think Mitch Marner impacts the game a little
bit more than Miko Ranton on the defensive side of
the puck. Mico Randon is very good offensively, He's big body,
he's a great winger. Mitch Marner plays all he plays

(04:17):
five on five, he plays penalty kill, and he plays
power play, and he's impactful in all three zones. You
cannot give a player like that up. Even though he's
not the biggest, strongest guy, he is a great hockey player.
And the fact that they entertained Miko Randon for Mitch Marner,
whether it was straight up or for some picks, I
think is not a good move by Brad Tree living

(04:38):
in this in the Toronto Maypleas organization. Yeah, it's fine
to kick the tires and see what Ranton will yield,
but why would you go to Mitch Marner and ask
him to what wave is no move and that if
that's true, And they went to Mitch Martin and said, hey,
would you wave your no move clause, I'd be out
of there July first, See you later, Mitch Marner. There
will be there will be thirty teams that would sign

(04:59):
him and pay him ten to twelve million dollars a year,
and I think he deserves that, maybe even more than
that with the cap going up. So for me, I'm like,
Mitch Marner, see you later, pack your bags, get out
of there, go enjoy yourself somewhere else, because you've been
stepped on way too much in this organization and you
don't deserve it. Unfortate like maybe a little bit, but

(05:20):
right now it's gone too far. I think for him
as a player this season he's having they should be
re signing him and paying him what he wants, especially
with the cap going up. They're not see you later,
and they're asking to wave his new move clause by
get in the car, turn it on, shut up, and draft.

Speaker 1 (05:37):
He has yet to elevate company had to elevate. Shut up.
And I know you love Rihanna, but Tron's thing like
this thing. He's yet to elevate come playoff time, but
he's everything other than that about the other guys if
get to elevate come playoff time, so there's other blames.

Speaker 2 (05:48):
Alo.

Speaker 1 (05:48):
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