Speculation: The market for Mitch Marner's mega millions

[Bounces R Way]

Where do we think UFA Marner ends up this summer? 28 year old RW coming off a career best 102pt season. Was asked to waive his trade clause earlier this season and refused. Unless the Leafs can take the next two off the Panthers I very much doubt it will be back in TO.

Would be real funny to see him go to the Islanders. Bruins would be even funnier but I doubt that's in the cards. Utah or Seattle I imagine would love to make a big splash and Marner might be sick of the hockey spotlight. Maybe Anaheim will try to land a top end player to make a playoff push. Can't ever rule out Vegas or Florida.

Pick 3 options in the poll and/or give your reasoning for them.

 

[Mrfenn92]

Utah

 

[Hale The Villain]

I'll guess Vegas.

Getting shutout by Stuart Skinner twice showed their lack of high-end talent (I mean for god's sake Eichel was centering Howden and Olofsson in game 5), and Stone and Hertl aren't getting any younger.

They are one of the few teams big enough to add a guy like Marner without their overall toughness becoming an issue.

Would probably have to deal Wild Bill's 5.9M and Hague/Whitecloud to open up enough cap space to make it happen.

 

[Gil Gunderson]

Detroit or Chicago as the frontrunners, maybe Pittsburgh.

 

[Empoleon8771]

Utah and Anaheim stick out as really good fits. Chicago probably wants him but I don't think Marner will want to go to that tire fire of a franchise.

 

[TageGod]

Marner needs to get as far away from big city Media as possible, to a team that will herald him just for making the playoffs.

 

[General Fanager]

San Jose - Building team with a bright future.

Tampa/Florida - Quiet life with a great team. He can also play and not have to be the main guy on the team. He can just focus on hockey instead of the nonsense from the press and fans.....

 

[Stealth JD]

Utah....can give low-stress environment and a high AAV

 

[Captain Mountain]

I'm just assuming Vegas because they'll be able to create space if they want and they love going after talent.

Utah and Anahiem (assuming Verbeek is willing to spend on a player like Marner) make sense too.

 

[Canovin]

Maybe Vancouver actually.

 

[TheNewEra]

Going to go with Chicago, they desperately need talent around Bedard, probably wont have expectations around them for another 2 years which is a bonus for Marner.

I fully expect Chicago to pay/overpay for one of the higher end forwards on the market. You cant go into year 3 with bedard and have his linemates be Mikheyev and Teravainen...right

 

[iggy]

Marner needs to get as far away from big city Media as possible, to a team that will herald him just for making the playoffs.

The Islanders would be perfect for this. Rangers get all of the press in NY. Isles press are way more laid back.

 

[jonlin]

Tampa/Florida - Quiet life with a great team.

Florida is a no-go Id say. Barkov is leading the charge at 10M/yr. Marner wouldnt be offered his want - 12-13M, when they have players like Lundell @ 5M and Luostarinen @ 3M. Tkachuk is @ 9.25M

 

[General Fanager]

Florida is a no-go Id say. Barkov is leading the charge at 10M/yr. Marner wouldnt be offered his want - 12-13M, when they have players like Lundell @ 5M and Luostarinen @ 3M. Tkachuk is @ 9.25M

I disagree, with the tax situation in Fla and the better off ice life I bet his ask would be much less. Plus the fact that the is already joining a winner.

 

[dire wolf]

I think he takes a little less to stay in Toronto with his buds (he probably more than makes up for the $ with local endorsements) , but I also voted for VAN (need to replace Miller and try to prove to Quinn that they are serious about winning) and PIT - need next generation of talent. Dubas connection and opportunity to play with Sid could convince him to sign.

That said, Kevyn Adams should back up the Brinks truck and overpay him.

 

[BHFAN92]

Utah and Anaheim stick out as really good fits. Chicago probably wants him but I don't think Marner will want to go to that tire fire of a franchise.

so uhhh you call Blackhawks a tire fire I assume from the scandal that literally was a decade ago and now have new owners, GM, coaching staff and all former players gone..yet you then name the very definition of a tire fire in Utah

 

[Empoleon8771]

so uhhh you call Blackhawks a tire fire I assume from the scandal that literally was a decade ago and now have new owners, GM, coaching staff and all former players gone..yet you then name the very definition of a tire fire in Utah

No, I call them a tire fire because the team sucks ass and has basically nothing outside of Bedard. Their rebuild is looking awful right now.

 

[Arthuros]

By technicality, I guess Marner will help us get into the playoffs...but will be of verrrry little use once they start.

If we do end up signing Mitch, it better not be for a massive overpayment. Hell, I'd be reluctant to pay his current contract.

 

[BHFAN92]

No, I call them a tire fire because the team sucks ass and has basically nothing outside of Bedard. Their rebuild is looking awful right now.

so just admit you are not watching the Blackhawks then outside of win/loss because Nazar, Moore, Rinzel, Levshunov, Vlasic, Kaiser, EDM have all looked really good when they played together to end the season

 

[Captain Mountain]

so just admit you are not watching the Blackhawks then outside of win/loss because Nazar, Moore, Rinzel, Levshunov, Vlasic, Kaiser, EDM have all looked really good when they played together to end the season

I don't think a bunch of decent young prospects/NHLers looking good after getting eliminated on the 2nd worst team in the NHL is a selling point for a guy who wants to win now. Teams like Utah and Anahiem can offer the same, but more and being closer to the playoffs.

 

[Ledge And Dairy]

Unless all he cares about is money it will be an already good team that has the cap space to add him. He's not going to join some team random bottom feeder for anything under what Draisaitl's next deal will be. My guess is LA, they have a need for more offense, he fits their style of play, they have the cap space, and its a very popular location to live. Also worth noting that the Kings are far from the center of attention in LA, and even if he's the highest paid player on the team, that city has much bigger superstar names in Otani, LeBron, Luka, Kawhi, etc

 

[BeranekAndNeck]

so just admit you are not watching the Blackhawks then outside of win/loss because Nazar, Moore, Rinzel, Levshunov, Vlasic, Kaiser, EDM have all looked really good when they played together to end the season

Marner to the Hawks would accelerate their rebuild no question. Vlasic and Levshunov look like top three defenders without a doubt and they'll get a key secondary piece with their top pick this year:

Bertuzzi-Bedard-Marner
TT-Moore-Nazar
Foligno-Dickinson-Mikheyev
Slaggert-Veleno-Reichel
Greene, Dach

?-Murphy
Vlasic-Levshunov
Kaiser-Rinzel
Brodie

Either of Misa/Hagens will fill out their top six nicely and then they will have lots of trade ammunition (picks, prospects) to trade for a left-handed defender who can move the puck and help insulate their young D.

 

[Fat Elvis]

Seems like a guy Holland would definitely overpay for.
He'd be lost in the crown in LA with almost no attention.

 

[TGWL]

A lot of teams need improvements.

 

[Miller Time]

Utah
Anaheim
Calgary