Sad new for Toronto maple leafs : he we not return

Four Mitch Marner exchanges the Maple Leafs may consider

For as flip as individuals have ended up approximately the thought of exchanging Mitch Marner, it’s basic to keep in mind there’s nothing simple approximately this kind of exchange.

To begin with off, let’s not bury the lede. No matter the setting, managing absent a 95-point player who gets Selke votes and turned 27 one day after the Toronto Maple Leafs were killed by the Boston Bruins on Saturday night requires a GTA-sized swallow on the portion of the club shipping him out.

There’s moreover the reality that the Leafs winger incorporates a full no-move clause and an operator, in Darren Ferris, that Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman keeps reminding us tends to energize his clients to utilize the exchange security arranged on their sake and eventually guides them toward the open showcase, which Marner can hit in a small less than 14 months.

And, for as much esteem as Marner has, the pieces need to line up. You can’t fair walk into the Correct Shot Defenceman Store and say, “I have a Mitch Marner to spend, gimmie a 25-year-old, top-pair RHD!”

Friedman moreover raised a awesome point on the Real Kyper and Bourne Show on Monday:
Earlier to the Leafs inking William Nylander to an in-season expansion, they were steadfast within the thought that — in case they went down the exchange way — it was as it were progressing to be for a clear win. As in, we’ll exchange you Nylander, but you will be sending us a player who brings identical esteem on the blue line.

But within the case of Marner — given all the caveats encompassing this potential exchange — the relevant address Friedman postured is this:
Would Toronto be willing to lose a Marner bargain?

That doesn’t cruel precisely what it sounds like because, of course, it doesn’t. No group sets out to lose swaps. But the immediate optics of a Marner bargain are improbable to form Blue and White supporters begin turning backflips. It’s nearly certainly not attending to be for the Mitch Marner of defencemen or the six-foot-three adaptation of Marner up front since it’s so improbable another group would be willing to move that player.

It could be four quarters for a dollar. It might include draft picks that can be flipped afterward. Most basically, it could be to free up cap space to form a genuine run at inking potential UFA defencemen like Chris Tanev, Brandon Montour or Brett Pesce.

So, with all that in intellect — and with some help from Sportsnet.ca senior editor Josh Beneteau — let’s take that profound breath and whip up some Marner exchange proposition.

(Too, since Marner would need to donate a thumbs up to any swap, let’s accept he’d moreover be inking an extension with his unused squad).

Why the Leafs do it:

You’re likely clearing upwards of $9.5 million in cap space simply may quickly turn around and toss at the blue line. Free up a small more space and you could be able to require a legit run at two right-shot, Ontario guys in Tanev and Montour.

Johnson is an RFA who appears exceptionally much in line for a brief, bridge contract. He’s got loads of ability, but things haven’t gone easily in Ohio for the 21-year-old.

The Leafs seem dangle No. 4 choose for an quick return or take a blue-liner in this defenceman-rich draft who won’t offer assistance them right presently, but may well be a major installation from 2026-2040.

Why the Blue Coats do it:
First off, if Mark Seeker is named Columbus’ modern GM within the following small whereas, get ready for this to ended up an genuine gossip. Seeker, of course, was with the OHL’s London Knights when Marner landed there as a major junior player and guided the Leafs toward Marner when the previous was portion of Toronto’s front office in 2015 and the last mentioned was accessible at — hold up for it — fourth by and large.

The Coats seem sit tight and select a prime prospect at No. 4, possibly Knights defenceman Sam Dickinson. But this franchise — not at all like others at the top of the board — did not expected to be picking this high in 2024. Columbus — which had no deficiency of awful press over the disaster of contracting Mike Babcock final summer and wound up hacking out long-time GM Jarmo Kekalainen in-season — needs to get better recently, as shown by the enormous moves it was making final year around this time to arrive defencemen Damon Severson and Ivan Provorov.

Marner would be an colossal expansion to the forward gather for a team that doesn’t really require another best prospect much appreciated to the nearness of centre Adam Fantilli and right-shot defenceman David Jiricek.

Columbus is additionally not the kind of group that’s attending to be frightened off by any seen inadequacies Marner has in the playoffs. The Coats just want to urge to the post-season; how everyone does once they’re in is a tomorrow address.