The big news out of Toronto was that the Toronto Maple Leafs fired head coach Sheldon Keefe on Thursday. The next major event will be a presser on Friday, then either the naming of a new head coach or the explanation of what the team is looking for in a head coach, and then roster changes.
Among the big roster changes that might happen is a potential trade of forward Mitch Marner. Most believe that deal won’t be easy to make because Marner has said he’d like to sign long-term and has a no-move clause, but some insiders believe he might be open to a change if the right situation presents itself.
Related: NHL Rumors: Maple Leafs, Oilers, Predators
According to one NHL analyst, there are teams intrigued by the idea of a trade.
According to Sportsnet’s Nick Kypreos, as per an article he wrote in the Toronto Star this week, several teams are already letting the Maple Leafs know they want to talk trade, if one is made available. The tagline of his article notes, “It’s obvious the Core Four concept can’t continue. There are already multiple NHL teams that have reached out and shown a keen interest in Marner.” From there, he explained:
“There are already multiple NHL teams that have reached out and shown a keen interest in a three-time All-Star player who closes in on 100 points every seasons. And that’s with the knowledge that his next contract could land him as much as $100 million.”
source – ‘Time for Leafs to move on from Marner and Tavares. Other NHL teams will (and already have) come calling’ – Nick Kypreos – Toronto Star -05/09/2024 h/t @TheLeafsNation
Who Might Be Interested in a Marner Trade?
Based on Kypreos’ report, any team looking at Marner is willing to spend big to get him. If we’re talking a $100 million contract, over eight seasons, that’s $12.5 million per season. Not a ton of teams can fit that into their salary cap, even with the cap going up.
Teams like Chicago, Anaheim, San Jose, Buffalo, and Nashville sit atop the league in terms of teams with the most current cap space. Which teams, if any, that Marner might be interested in signing long-term with is not clear. One thing to keep in mind is that just because teams have reached out, it doesn’t mean they would actively pursue a trade. They may just be trying to find out what Toronto’s stance is on the forward.
