Maple Leafs' Mitch Marner Viewed as Possibility For Surprising Team
Maple Leafs' Mitch Marner Viewed as Possibility For Surprising Team originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
Toronto Maple Leafs star Mitch Marner will be the biggest name on the free agent market this summer. Marner is expected to land a massive payday, and multiple teams have already been mentioned for his services.
Advertisement
However, due to the high price tag, there are only so many teams that can realistically compete for him. Marner brings explosive offense to the table and could be a massive addition to any team.
But one Eastern Conference team could be an interesting landing spot for Marner. That would be the Detroit Red Wings, who are in desperate need of a major spark.
NHL insider James Mirtle of The Athletic mentioned the Red Wings as a possible landing spot, even if Detroit seems to be more of an outside chance to net Marner.
"Steve Yzerman needs a big swing. The Red Wings' rebuild is now entering its eighth or ninth year, depending on where you mark the clock, and they could use another star or two to push them forward. They have the cap space to make this work and are still an iconic Original Six franchise, even after all the losing over the past decade."
Toronto Maple Leafs forward Mitch Marner (16) skates with the puck before game one of the second round of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs against the Florida Panthers at Scotiabank Arena. John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images
Detroit has not reached the playoffs since the 2015-16 season, and the organization needs something to cheer about. If they were to land Marner, things could finally change for the better, putting some thought into the pairing.
Advertisement
Whether Marner would be willing to play for the Red Wings is a different factor, but the partnership makes sense. Marner could help bring this franchise back from the grave, but whether he is up for that challenge remains to be seen.
Related: Avalanche, Lightning Among Teams Looking to Land 6-Time All-Star
Related: Devils Predicted to Land All-Star to Massively Improve Roster
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 13, 2025, where it first appeared.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
25 minutes ago
- Yahoo
PGA Tour Sends Strong Scottie Scheffler Message on Saturday
PGA Tour Sends Strong Scottie Scheffler Message on Saturday originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The PGA Tour celebrated Scottie Scheffler in style on Saturday, honoring the world No. 1 golfer on his birthday with an Instagram post from @pgatour showcasing his top 10 career shots. Advertisement The post, shared earlier today, serves as a tribute to his remarkable journey, timed perfectly as fans and the Tour alike mark his special day. This gesture underscores Scheffler's status as a golfing icon and the Tour's commitment to celebrating its brightest stars. The post highlights iconic moments, including his hole-in-one at the 2023 Charles Schwab Challenge and his remarkable eagle hole-out at the 2024 Players Championship. These shots reflect the precision and power that have defined his rise, with three wins in his last five starts this season, including a victory at the 2025 PGA Championship. Scottie Scheffler plays his shot from the tenth tee during the first round.© Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images The birthday tribute aligns with Scheffler being in contention at the Travelers Championship this weekend, tying for the 36-hole lead with a score of nine under par. Advertisement This celebration sends a clear message: Scheffler, at 29, is the Tour's present and future and will continue to dominate a majority of the tournaments he plays in. With competitors like Tommy Fleetwood and Justin Thomas challenging his lead, his career highlights remind fans of his consistency and clutch performances. The post has sparked excitement, reinforcing the Tour's intent to honor excellence while hyping its toughest course setups and merit-based finales. For golf enthusiasts, it's a fitting birthday salute to a player redefining the sport. Related: PGA Tour Teases Scottie Scheffler, Justin Thomas Pairing at Travelers Championship This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 21, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
27 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Maple Leafs rumors: Mitch Marner not expected to return to Toronto in free agency
The post Maple Leafs rumors: Mitch Marner not expected to return to Toronto in free agency appeared first on ClutchPoints. The Toronto Maple Leafs have several key players hitting NHL free agency, and arguably the biggest of them all is Mitch Marner. By the sounds of it, he won't be returning. Advertisement NHL insider Andy Strickland reported Friday that Marner is expected to be playing for a new team in 2025-26: 'Can confirm Mitch Marner will not be returning to Toronto. Will be playing for a new team come next season.' Strickland wrote on X. If this is indeed true, it's not a huge surprise. The Maple Leafs reportedly attempted to trade for Mikko Rantanen at the deadline, offering Marner to the Carolina Hurricanes, but he ultimately remained with the team. Marner has stayed rather quiet on his future, and after Toronto's brutal exit at the hands of the Florida Panthers, he refused to speak on what the next move will be: 'I've always loved my time here. I've loved being here,' Marner said on the team's locker clean-out day. 'Like I said to you guys the other night, I have been so grateful and, you know, haven't processed anything yet. It's still so fresh and losing sucks.' Advertisement 'In the next couple of weeks, I'll sit down with my wife and we'll start talking,' Marner continued. 'Trying to figure out what's next.' Marner decided not to negotiate a new deal with the Maple Leafs during the regular season and instead wanted to wait until free agency. The reality is that many teams will be vying for his signature. The veteran led Toronto in points in 2024-25, scoring 27 goals and tallying 75 assists. While he is a crucial piece for the Maple Leafs, this current core hasn't been able to get the franchise over the hump and make a Stanley Cup. Perhaps they do need a new recipe for success, and that likely won't include Marner. Wherever he ends up, the superstar will secure a major payday. Related: Maple Leafs rumors: Insider calls out John Tavares 'stretch' in contract talks Related: NHL rumors: Pierre LeBrun makes Maple Leafs prediction for Brad Marchand
Yahoo
27 minutes ago
- Yahoo
3 players Maple Leafs must trade in 2025 NHL offseason
The post 3 players Maple Leafs must trade in 2025 NHL offseason appeared first on ClutchPoints. For a ninth straight season, the Toronto Maple Leafs made it to the playoffs. Still, the Maple Leafs would fall to the Florida Panthers in the second round. The team has already made moves this offseason, ousting president Brendan Shanahan. Now the front office has decisions to make to prepare for the upcoming season. Part of that will be opening up salary cap space and replenishing lost draft capital. The Maple Leafs need to make trades in order to make that happen in the 2025 NHL offseason. Advertisement The Maple Leafs have $27.2 million in cap space this offseason. The big question of the summer for the Leafs is the future of Mitch Marner. Reports are circulating that he will not be coming back to Toronto this season. Meanwhile, John Tavares is also a free agent this offseason, along with six other members of the team. Further, there is a lack of draft capital in the stockpile. Toronto does not have a first-round pick for the next three seasons, nor does it have a second-round pick next year. The future for this team is now in flux. With Marner most likely gone, and just four forwards under contract beyond next season, this offseason will be a crossroads for the franchise. They can move a restricted free agent to gain more draft capital and also shed depth on the blue line. Another option is to opt for a retool and trade away a major asset. Toronto trades a restricted free agent With Marner projected to leave the franchise, losing Matthew Knies in restricted free agency may not be the best move for Toronto. That would have Auston Matthews playing with two new linemates next season. Still, other restricted free agents may be worth shipping out of town. Pontus Holmberg is another option, but he found himself playing on the second line in the playoffs. The winger played in a career high 68 games while also playing in 12 of the 13 playoff games. Advertisement The best option for a trade is Nicholas Robertson. Robertson was the subject of trade rumors at the deadline. He was the 53rd pick of the 2019 draft by the Leafs. Prior to this year's campaign, Robertson requested a trade, but would go on to sign a one-year deal with the team. This year, the Canadian scored 15 goals with seven assists in 69 total games. He spent much of the year on the third line. Still, in the playoffs, the forwards would play in just three games and see his ice time limited to just 9:59 per game. This could be an indication that Robertson is not part of the future plans. A move would not save cap space, but would bring in draft capital. An offer sheet would most likely net a third-round pick at best, but the Leafs could work a sign-and-trade that could bring in more assets. The Maple Leafs trade a blue liner Marc DesRosiers-Imagn Images Toronto has all six of its top defenders under contract for this upcoming season. Still, the group costs over $24.5 million in cap space this upcoming season. One solid option would be to trade Morgan Rielly. Rielly was playing on the second rotation during the playoffs, and at a cost of $7.5 million at age 31, trading Rielly would bring back valuable assets and create cap space. Still, the D-man has a no-movement clause. He has said he does not want to be moved from Toronto, which would complicate trading the blue liner away. Advertisement Still, Oliver Ekman-Larsson has a modified no-trade clause. It is a 16-team no-trade list this season, but that still leaves 15 other NHL teams for the Leafs to potentially work a deal with. He will turn 34 before the start of the season, and cost $3.5 million per year over the next three seasons. The Swede signed a four-year contract with Toronto before the start of this past campaign. It was a solid season for Ekman-Larsson, as he scored four goals and had 25 assists. Further, he logged 21:04 of ice time per game in the regular season this year, the most since the 2021-22 season with the Canucks. Still, his ice time dropped in the playoffs, and he was relegated to the third rotation towards the end of their run. The Leafs have multiple players in the AHL system that seem primed to jump to the NHL level, so moving a blue liner is necessary for the franchise. The best option is trading off OEL. Trading William Nylander would be a nuclear move While the first two moves would prepare Toronto for this season, there is the potential that they will go for a total rebuild. Trading Nylander would be a major step in making a complete overhaul of the roster. Trading the winger could be difficult. He has a no-movement clause, and therefore would need to sign off on any deal involving his movement. Still, if the Leafs are making a total roster transformation, getting him to sign off may not be difficult. It would also be a perfect time for the sale. Advertisement Nylander just completed his third straight season playing all 82 games, and he has missed just one game in the last four years. Further, he just had his third straight 40-goal campaign, setting a career high with 45 goals. Nylander would instantly improve any offense, and teams would gladly pay a premium for him. Mikko Rantanen was traded for two first-round picks, two third-round picks, and Logan Stankoven when he was moved from the Carolina Hurricanes to the Dallas Stars. It is possible that Toronto would get a similar return, providing the draft capital they need. Further, this would clear $11.5 million in cap space. While it would not make sense to bring back Marner if they are going for the rebuild, this could be used to lock up players they feel are important for the future. This would be a nuclear option for the Leafs. Still, with the expectation that the 2026 NHL Draft will be filled with depth, making moves to secure draft capital for that draft could be helpful long-term for Toronto. The decision-makers for the Leafs need to decide how they are moving into the future. Still, Toronto is flush with trade options, but standing pat is not an option this summer.
