*******If you are interested in sponsorship or advertising your business in the Greater Toronto / Southern Ontario area on this column, please send a message for more information by clicking on the “Contact” button at the top of the page.
*******
Over the next few weeks, there will be a great deal of speculation regarding the potential trade of winger Mitch Marner, since Toronto Maple Leafs Team President Brendan Shanahan and GM Brad Treliving indicated earlier this month that something has to change after another early exit. The change began with the dismissal of Sheldon Keefe and the hiring of Craig Berube, but many agree that for the Leafs to potentially improve, that a shakeup of the core group is a necessity.
While many teams might be interested in the 27-year-old All-Star, a nearly $11 million cap hit, a no-movement clause and one year remaining on Marner’s contract will be hurdles that Treliving will have to clear to make a trade beneficial to the Leafs. Assuming that he will waive his NMC, Marner’s camp will likely provide a list of teams that he would be open to going to and those clubs will undoubtedly want to get him signed to a lengthy extension if they are giving up significant assets for him.
We will take a look at teams that have either the cap space or assets to make a Marner deal and who the Leafs could expect to get in a potential trade:
Nashville
The Nashville Predators emerged as a potential destination for Marner after a report earlier this month in the Fourth Period. The Preds surprisingly made the playoffs this season in the first year of new head coach Andrew Brunette and GM Barry Trotz, on the strength of a 48-goal season from Filip Forsberg, an 85-point season from defenseman Roman Josi, the addition of former Leaf Ryan O’Reilly, and the goaltending of Juuse Saros.
For Trotz to get Nashville to another level, they will need to add scoring, which makes an offensive driver like Marner a good fit, but once again the only way a deal like this would work is if he is willing to sign a long-term extension with the Preds. There is some speculation that Trotz looks at Josi’s salary (slightly over $9 million) as a cap of what he would pay, but it is highly likely that Marner will be looking for more than the $11.5 million AAV that William Nylander signed for as a starting point.
I asked Barry Trotz if he’d be interested in acquiring Mitch Marner, with now some $25 million in cap room.
Saros – The 29-year-old former Vezina nominee is a workhorse (averaging 65 games the last three seasons), with a year left on his current contract at $5 million. Any trade involving Saros as a main piece would likely also entail getting him on an extension, which would be conservatively in the $7 to $7.5 million range.
Draft picks – Nashville like most of the other teams possibly interested in Marner has a significant stockpile of draft picks, mostly coming from a pair of deals with Tampa Bay. The Preds have 15 picks in the first three rounds (four first-round, six second-round and five third-round picks).
Prospects – Yaroslav Askarov – The 21-year-old former first-rounder has had two seasons of seasoning in the AHL and is likely ready to take the next step. Any deal involving Marner to Nashville would have to include either Saros or Askarov. Otherwise, it does not work.
Fedor Svechkov (2021 first rounder) scored 39 points in his first season in North America with Milwaukee, Joakim Kemell (2022 first rounder) scored 41 points in his first full season with the Admirals, Matthew Wood (2023 first rounder) big right winger selected 15th overall and scored 28 points as a sophomore at the University of Connecticut, Tanner Molendyk (2023 first rounder) had 56 points for Moose Jaw in the WHL this season.
Toronto Maple Leafs Blogger • 
Join the Discussion:
»