After another disappointing Stanley Cup Playoff run, Mitch Marner appears to be on the bad side of all Maple Leafs fans, and with the organization potentially looking at some big time changes, a trade may be in order. To make that deal, the Leafs need Marner to waive his NMC, meaning they'll need to send him to a place of his preference, and now Elliotte Friedman's suggestion may lead him to a familiar face.
In Pittsburgh, Marner could reunite with a familiar face, with the possibility of landing Ryan Graves or even one of the teams goaltenders in Tristan Jarry or Alex Ndeljkovic in return. It's a possibility that's been suggested in the wake of the Maple Leafs latest playoff failure, and during the Maple Leafs availability, No. 16 seemingly hinted at the idea that he would be willing to accept a fresh start.
Ultimately, all of this hinges on Marner being willing to move his NMC, but if he does that and Pittsburgh are willing to part with several pieces, they make perfect sense as trade partners.
