My argument for trading Marner

[I am Canadian]

Leafs had good team defense. If I was Dubas, my main goals would be;
1) Starting goaltender
2) Building a 2nd line around Tavares [he needs players to cycle the puck with him]
3) find an identity for the 4th line, instead of a mishmatch of players.

 

[LEAFANFORLIFE23]

Shesterkin?

Not even him goalies never get top line forwards ever Bertuzzi for Luongo was the last time that was 2006

 

[ULF_55]

Yeah it's too bad because Nylander has the physical tools to play well defensively but elects not to do so. The apple doesn't fall far from the tree.

Yeah, he'll never be a Paul Higgins.

Why in the world would the Leafs have drafted Higgins? It was 1980 not 1950, geez was that a Ballard pick?

 

[Americanadian]

I think there's a very clear path to a Ekblad for Marner deal.

Florida gets an elite winger for Barkov. Toronto gets one of the best RD in the league. Their contracts both have 3 years left but Toronto saves 3.4M. Florida keeps Weegar and runs Weegar/Montour/Gudas as their RD.

The Leafs would obviously be thin at RW with Nylander being the only true RW on the roster assuming Kase leaves. They can use that 3.4M and whatever money they clear this off season to pursue replacements in the top 6.

 

[saltming]

Not even him goalies never get top line forwards ever Bertuzzi for Luongo was the last time that was 2006

While I can't argue with that fact, shesterkin is a stud. I'm not sure what the balance of the trade would be but it would solve our net woes for years with top 5 goaltending

 

[Budz]

I would consider a deal with Vancouver.

Marner
Mrazcek

Demko
Miller 50%

 

[Clyde Brewer]

Marner is outstanding in the regular season but he's just too damn soft and ineffective at playoff style hockey.

I would trade him for Brady Tkachuk, straight up.

Tkachuk's they type of player we need. We don't need to dress a Clifford to look after him. He has skill, but he can also crash and bang and score ugly goals. He's an old fashioned, plain old mean type of player, something we badly need.

I think he could be the much needed culture change on this team. He'd hold others accountable for their soft play.

 

[mydnyte]

I'd like to start by saying Marner had an AMAZING regular season and he was a lot of fun to watch. I also think this was the first year where Marner played up to his contract. With that said starting at gm4-7 Marner got a whopping 2pts and was a -3 and has never been a standout in any playoff series since joining the Leafs

Why Marner over Nylander? Nylander should land us a decent player but trading Nylander doesn't move the needle, like at all

As it stands right now, as far as I am concerned, Toronto needs a #1 Goalie, a RHD to play with Rielly and bottom 6 depth. Trading Marner, with the package that we get + the cap room it frees up Toronto would be able to address every single one of those weaknesses

Yes our top6 will not be as good and yes when you trade Marner you won't "win" that trade as Marner will be the best player in the package. But you don't make trades to win the trade you make trades to make the team, as a whole, better and I firmly believe Toronto would be better, overall, if Dubas trades Marner

Flame me all you want!

Trading Marner will not get you either a #1 goalie, or a #1 RHD that would be worth dealing him for.
the only RHD who would be worth dealing Marner for is Makar, and Col wouldnt do that deal.
there is zero #1 goalies worth Marner, save Shesterkin maybe, and the Rangers wouldnt deal him.
the only options left would be a non-franchise package ...i.e. Carter Hart & Konecny which is solid-ish or a Demko & Horvat/Garland type deal which is meh.
wait till you see who gets Bedard and see if they would trade him for Marner.

 

[A1LeafNation]

They should be making Marner a center and giving the boot to JT.

 

[Lupuls Grit]

I would consider a deal with Vancouver.

Marner
Mrazcek

Demko
Miller 50%

Great idea! Bring this to the Vancouver board or the main board! I'm sure you'll get lots of positive responses!

 

[Morbo]

Trade Marner for what though? as usual around here, OP gives not a single name.

 

[Voodoo Child]

Mitch’s play has earned him a reprieve for another year.

But in truth, suppose you could get a package from NJ like 2nd overall + L Hughes + Smith + Blackwood, or from Philly, 5th overall + Provorov + Konecny + York?

You gotta take either of those. Only Matthews is off the table.

 

[arso40]

No.

I agree we DONT make this move unless we want to lose matthews to free agency as much as I agree he would bring the best return if we wish to trade someone it’s the captain just the cap space alone fixes our problems on top of the prospect(s) we’d get as well

 

[Divine]

Marner straight up for the 1st overall pick at the 2023 entry draft.

Who says no?

 

[arso40]

I am not saying that a Marner trade couldn't somehow benefit the team but a player like him would never be dealt unless there was an issue between him and the club, which there isn't. Having at least two elite forwards is pretty much essential to winning a Cup. Add to this, Dubas loyalty to his players, and its a non starter. Even if the club had a tank year and Dubas got canned, the next guy is still going to run with AM and MM.

As far as moving the needle, the Leafs were a slightly better goalie away from going to the next round. They don't need to make a monumental change to have more success so a smart Willie move would be plenty. Honestly even though a lot of us support a Nylander trade, they have sufficient other assets to make a real improvement without touching any of the core., it just means sacrificing a bit of the future as the last several Cup winners were happy to do. So many other areas to improve the team that don't require that kind of a deal

Don’t agree either the money willie gets doesn’t go far enough to improve this team drastically if at all he’s the only value deal out of four I think the leader is the best option dubes needs to be more lightningish in his approach

 

[Voodoo Child]

Marner straight up for the 1st overall pick at the 2023 entry draft.

Who says no?

Whoever has the pick.

It’ll be Seattle.

 

[HamiltonNHL]

Marner straight up for the 1st overall pick at the 2023 entry draft.

Who says no?

We aren't rebuilding. So No.

 

[Divine]

We aren't rebuilding. So No.

Bedard could be better than Marner from year 1. You're saving ~7M a year for the first 3 years.

 

[HamiltonNHL]

Bedard could be better than Marner from year 1. You're saving ~7M a year for the first 3 years.

You convinced me.
I'm in.

 

[The Iceman]

I had to double check the date of this thread.

OP didn't like Marner 2 years ago when he was top RW in hockey? Only this past season??

 

[Divine]

You convinced me.
I'm in.

Doubt anyone trades Bedard though. He's been putting up numbers similar to McDavid and he is among the youngest eligible for the draft. 2 months out from missing it like Matthews and Tavares.

He's still 16. It's a shame the World Juniors got cancelled. Wanted to see what he could do as a 16 YO, even McDavid struggled then. He put up 5 points in the 2 games prior to it being cancelled.

 

[Sundinisagod]

Just my opinion from a Habs fan, but if you break up the M&M boys the chances of Matthews moving on increase. The two seem to coexist well and seem to be fairly good friends. Even as a Habs fan I do enjoy watching them play together even when it is against Montreal!

Came in here to say the exact same thing…and that is reason enough not to trade Marner.

Best of luck to you guys at the draft, hope you land a stud!

 

[Arthur Morgan]

Keep and try to build around Matthews/Marner.
Moving him is a mistake, I understand the cap issues with JT on the team now. we already got through 2-3 flat cap years. might as well just stick with it the cap will start to rise again soon. just bargain bin shop. no need to blow it up

 

[Hockey 4 Life]

You get the same result if you move Nylander+ Muzzin. I mean its cap space and as good as Willy is he will never be as good as Marner offensively or defensively.

 

[ShaneFalco]

Moving him woukd be a mistake now even though he's overpaid. But they do need to change the dynamic with the forwards and that's going to mean Dubas is shown the door.