Reporter Reveals Which Core Four Member of the Maple Leafs is the Odd Man Out

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Graham Montgomery
November 21, 2023 (10:21 PM)

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The Toronto Maple Leafs are in a trick situation. The team is not performing to their normal standard so far this season, but that is not the team's greatest concern right now. With William Nylander playing his best hockey of his career, the Leafs may find themselves in a situation where they cannot afford to keep the core-four together.

Leafs Reporter Suggests Marner May Be On His Way Out Of Toronto

The Maple Leafs currently have a team cap total of just under 95 million dollars. That is with over 11 million dollars on LTIR so the team is currently cap compliant. Next season the Leafs are projected to have just over 34 million in cap space with only 10 players signed. With Nylander due a big raise, putting together a 23 man roster may be very difficult. Leafs reporter Jay Rosehill believes the team will make a major move to address this issue.

"Its tough man, they've got their hands tied and if you're going to untie them you have to undo those four. You can't just free something up with no value. It has to be something with value, it has to hurt a little bit and to me Mitch Marner, with the way he plays... I think he's the odd man out."

Marner The Weak Link Of Leafs' Core-Four?

So far this season, Marner is 3rd on the Leafs in scoring behind Nylander and Matthews. In terms of goals he is tied for fourth id Matt Knies with just 5. John Tavares, the other member of the core-four has just one less point than Marner, but two more goals. If the Leafs are going to be forced to move on from one of them, perhaps Marner is the right fit. Nylander is a pending unrestricted free agent this summer, but he is playing the best hockey of his career at the moment.

The Leafs have reportedly been in continuous contract negotiations with Nylander all season. Although a deal has not materialized yet, the fact that they are talking means it is unlikely that the team will suddenly try to move on from him. Tavares is the oldest of the core-four, but he is also the team's captain. Matthews is obviously untouchable, so that could indeed make Marner the odd man out should the team be in desperate need to move some cap or otherwise restructure the team.