Another spring, another Toronto heartbreak.
In the wake of the early exits by the Maple Leafs, once again, speculation is rampant about Mitch Marner's future. The 27-year-old winger, who was once thought to be a franchise pillar, will see out the final season of his deal with a $10.9 million cap hit and an absolute no-movement clause.
While he hasn't requested a trade, it's time to begin penning the discussions after nearly a decade of playoff underachievement for the Leafs' core. It would be smart for the Maple Leafs to explore trades because if you're the GM of the Leafs, you don’t want to lose Marner for nothing come July 1st.
Several teams will be interested in trading for Marner or signing him outright. Potential teams could be the Los Angeles Kings, the Vegas Golden Knights, and the Dallas Stars.
This is where the Los Angeles Kings come in as a fit that could take them to the next level.
A Natural Fit in L.A.
With new general manager Ken Holland now calling the shots and over $21 million in projected cap room, the Kings are primed to make a franchise-altering move this offseason.
A Marner trade wouldn't be about skill entirely—it would address one of the team's most significant issues head-on: consistent top-line scoring and playmaking aside from Anze Kopitar and Kevin Fiala.
We saw in the playoffs once again how the Kings were unable to dethrone the Oilers for a fourth straight year, even with home-ice advantage; they still lost in the first round. The same history repeated with the Maple Leafs who once again couldn’t get over the hump of reaching the eastern conference finals.
Both teams have had early exits in the playoffs over the last 8 years or so, and have played at a lesser version of what was expected of them come playoff time.
Although the Kings' foundation is solid, particularly on defense and in goal, there's an apparent need for another top-notch playmaker to go along with Fiala's vision and Phillip Danault's two-way play.
The Kings need another right wing to fill their depth chart alongside Quinton Byfield and Adrian Kempe. Byfield didn’t have the best series against the Oilers, while Kempe had great moments, but it wasn’t enough to win.
But someone like Marner, who accumulated 102 points last season and plays tough minutes on the power play and penalty kill, aligns with the Kings' identity of speed, structure, and defensive responsibility.
Imagine a Fiala, Danault, and Marner line—or even a power-play combination of Drew Doughty, Marner, Fiala, and Quinton Byfield. It could give L.A.'s struggling offense a boost.
What Would a Trade Cost?
If the Maple Leafs decide to trade Marner before he becomes a free agent on July 1st, the deal would cost assets, future draft picks, and cap space.
The Kings could be asked to trade at least one of their players from their young core or rising stars (look at Brandt Clarke or Quinton Byfield), a first-round draft choice, and perhaps a player such as Kevin Fiala or Trevor Moore to balance out salaries.
But, again, this is all hypothetical because a trade might not be necessary unless the Maple Leafs want to get something in return rather than letting Marner walk. Again, there will be several teams that will have a better and more enticing offer that fits with what the Maple Leafs are looking for.
Why It Makes Sense—For Both Sides
For the Maple Leafs, trading Marner would provide cap relief and the ability to retool their roster, which is currently top-heavy. For the Kings, it would bring new offense to a core that has now shown up for four straight playoff runs without a series win.
And again, Maple Leafs GM Brad Treliving said a few weeks ago after another early exit in the Stanley Cup playoffs that changes will come in the offseason, and the first significant change could be to find Marner a new home.
Bottom Line: If Mitch Marner becomes a possibility, the Kings should be highly in the running. He's the kind of elite-level forward who might put them over the top—and bring playoff success to Los Angeles for the first time in history.
