NHL free agency begins next week, and the biggest player on the market is Mitch Marner. The longtime Maple Leaf might be on the move, and there will be no shortage of suitors at his door, but which teams would be the best fit for Marner.
Over the last four seasons, Marner has totaled 383 points. Only seven players have more in that span, but Marner isn’t just a one-way player. His defensive acumen is exceptional, and he’s capable of holding his own in tough matchups as well as killing penalties.
There may be a knock on Marner’s postseason resume, but that would be the case for all the Maple Leafs. Marner is still a game-changer who can elevate the team around him. Players of his caliber rarely hit the open market.
That’s why there will be plenty of offers on the table for Marner on July 1. He will have many choices, but some teams can offer him better fits than others. Money will certainly play a big factor, but Marner can get paid and go to a team that will compete for Stanley Cups in the future.
Before Marner does hit free agency, let’s look at the five best potential landing spots.
The Hurricanes have a lot of very good to great forwards. What they lack is an elite player who can be counted on to generate offense night in and night out. Marner would fit the role as the go-to guy in Carolina, and the Hurricanes have a little money with which to work. If there was ever a time for this team to back up the Brinks truck in free agency, now would be it.
Over the last few years, Carolina has hit somewhat of a ceiling in the playoffs. The team can win a round or two before the offense goes cold and dashes all hope of the franchise’s second Stanley Cup. Marner would certainly ease those concerns as a playmaker who can create a dangerous scoring chance every time his skates hit the ice. His skill and vision combined with the Canes’ aggressive and effective forecheck could be a winning recipe.
4. Toronto Maple Leafs
This isn’t the sexiest option out there, and some Maple Leafs fans may even roll their eyes at this suggestion. Yes, the current core of players has failed big to win in the playoffs, and keeping Marner makes it much harder to address other needs down the lineup. That said, Marner is a terrific player, and there’s a good chance Toronto is worse without him next season.
All Marner has done in Toronto is produce at a 100-point pace in each of the last four seasons while also maintaining a good sense of defensive responsibility. Players like that are very hard to find, which is why Leafs GM Brad Treliving needs to think twice about cutting bait. Making the money work will be difficult, but trying to compete for a Cup without Marner might be even more difficult.
The Mammoth are an up-and-coming team that wants to make a splash this offseason. Landing Marner in free agency would certainly qualify. Utah may not be considered a Stanley Cup favorite in 2025-26, but adding Marner would certainly put that team in the conversation. With so much young talent up and down the lineup, Marner could be the star veteran tasked with taking the Mammoth to the next level.
It’s not hard to imagine Marner slotting next to young center Logan Cooley or opposite fellow winger Dylan Guenther. Utah was already one of the most fun teams to watch last season, and getting Marner in the mix would only bring more attention to a team trying to get a foothold in a new market.
Whenever a big name hits the market, the Golden Knights always seem to be involved. To sign Marner, Vegas would have to move some money out, but that has never proven to be an issue in the past. As Mark Stone gets older, the Golden Knights need another high-end winger to pick up the slack, and Marner is an ideal candidate.
Like Stone, Marner has the reputation of being an excellent defensive winger, tallying some Selke Trophy votes in each of the last seven seasons. Marner also brings more offensive pop than Stone, and Vegas is in need of that after averaging less than three goals per game in the postseason. Put Marner next to Jack Eichel and watch those two give opposing defensemen fits.
The Kings are coming off a fourth consecutive first-round playoff loss to the Edmonton Oilers. The biggest reason for those failures? A lack of dynamic offensive weapons at the top of the lineup. Marner would solve that in a hurry. He’s capable of being a 30-goal scorer and a 100-point player, which is something Los Angeles hasn’t had in a long time. Perhaps more importantly, he also gels with the Kings’ commitment to defense as a strong two-way forward who can kill penalties.
Personally, I think it would be a lot of fun to see Marner on a line with Quinton Byfield and Adrian Kempe. Byfield could get in on the forecheck and retrieve pucks, Marner could be the distributor and Kempe would be the trigger man. That line has the potential to do a lot of damage.
This news was originally published on this post .
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