3. 2019- Bringing in a Legend...and Patrick Marleau
The payoff for this trade wasn't immediate, but it has been long-lasting. The Toronto Maple Leafs sought a partner to offload the rest of Patrick Marleau's contract. The Canes were willing participants, sending a sixth-round pick to Toronto for Marleau, a late-round pick in 2020, and a conditional 2020 first-round pick. Then, the Canes bought out Marleau's deal, allowing him to become a free agent.
The condition placed on the first-round pick was that it was Top 10 protected, meaning Toronto would retain it if they picked within the Top 10 of the 2020 draft, and the Canes would receive their 2021 first rounder. After losing in the bubble, Toronto's pick fell to #13, and the Hurricanes assumed possession of their selection.
With the 13th pick, the Hurricanes selected Seth Jarvis. Obviously, this has played out well for the Canes. Jarvis has quickly become one of the faces of the franchise, riding back-to-back 30-goal campaigns. He's one of the team's most reliable 200-foot players, being deployed in just about every situation. Sometimes, helping a team out can lead to great things.