Babcock is playing marner 14 minutes a night with Matt Martin. He is a luxury at this time. I think there would need to be some pluses on either side, but the leafs need a top pairing RD more than they need 14 minutes a night from Mitch Marner. Especially with their currently hilarious offensive riches.
The leafs have definitely tried peddling draft picks, bozak, jvr, kapenen for right handed defensive help and it has not worked out. Nylander/Matthews is a duo they are not going to break up, Kadri is not going anywhere because he is a solid 2 way center. The only high value piece is Marner. I know Marner has shown he can be a top 6 winger, and he has the upside to be a top 10-15 winger in the league, but the Leafs have the luxury of forward depth and are sorely lacking in a top pairing defensively capable D man. Where else would they get a right handed top pairing capable d man from?
Duchene at 50% + Johnson for Marner and Lili.
Duchene at 50%> Lili
Marner > EJ
Is it crazy? of course it is. The leafs get better the final 2 seasons of matthews ELC to try and win a cup, and the avs will be hilariously bad for 2 seasons.
Mack for McDonagh to me does not make a fair comparison, only because Avs are no where near as close to competing for the cup as the leafs are. Would the leafs trade Marner for McDonagh? Maybe, Reilly can play the right side, and that would give them a top pairing but is that want Babcock wants?