Original Six Team Preparing to Make a Serious Play for Mitch Marner
One Original Six team is expected to be huge players in the Mitch Marner free agent sweepstakes as they look set to build around their young core.
Marner, who is in the final year of his six-year deal, is expected to command a massive salary come free agency, and with questions concerning if the Maple Leafs can afford him or not, there's no shortage of suitors.
While Toronto continues to talk with Marner and agent Darren Ferris (who often plays a hard bargain with deals), nothing has materialized as much as fans hope something would.
But a new report from The Athletic reports that Marner is going to be among the big names free agents targeted by the Chicago Blackhawks.
So what can fans expect from a potential Marner to Chicago deal?
Report: Chicago Expected To Be Big Players For Mitch Marner
The article, written by analysts Mark Lazerus and Scott Powers, talks about some of the names that GM Kyle Davidson is going to target come free agency, with Marner at the top of the list:
Rantanen and Mitch Marner are very much on Davidson's radar. Failing that, there's possibly Nikolaj Ehlers, Brock Boeser and Brock Nelson. Brad Marchand and John Tavares don't fit the timeline very well, but Davidson might be feeling some heat for the first time, and anything could be on the table.
Marner, 27, has 16 goals, 55 assists & 71 points in 53 games for the Maple Leafs this season.
Rantanen, 28, has 26 goals and 40 assists & 66 points in 55 games for the Colorado Avalanche and Carolina Hurricanes.
Chicago hasn't made the playoffs since 2019-20, and haven't made it out of the first round since they won the Cup in 2014-15. For a team that was once a powerhouse of the NHL, they have been anything but recently.
The pressure is on in order to add pieces to maximize Connor Bedard's potential, and adding Marner would be a massive one-two punch for the Blackhawks, however it will come at a big price:
As the article also states:
It's going to be tough for Toronto to match the Blackhawks if they are able to throw the bank at Marner. A deep playoff push or even a Stanley Cup win would make things a bit easier for the Leafs.
But if Marner comes out with another disappointing first round exit: Expect him to take a good, long look at other options come July 1.
