Carolina Hurricanes keeps Marner on the East Coast with a perennial Stanley Cup contender
While the first two teams can sell Mitch Marner on the future and what might be, the next three teams can sell Marner on the idea of winning a Stanley Cup next season. The Carolina Hurricanes are one of those teams but has something else to offer that the final two teams can't and that is location.
The Carolina Hurricanes are a perennial Stanley Cup contender with seven consecutive trips to the playoffs, reaching the Eastern Conference Finals in three of those trips. They are one of the best run franchises in the NHL but just can't get over the hump, which they would hope Marner could deliver.
Where the Hurricanes have an advantage, and why it matters to Marner, might be the location being on the East Coast. He and his wife recently had a child, so being close to Toronto might be a strong selling point.
The Hurricanes have the fifth most cap space this free agency and it wouldn't require much to offer the biggest contract. That fact, combined with a win-now mentality might be the winning combination this summer.