There is no denying the talent that is on this roster. However, there are key decisions to be made. There are key players that can head to free agency, such as Tyler Bertuzzi, Max Domi, Ilya Samsonov, and T.J. Brodie. But that is not the biggest hurdle the team can jump over.
The biggest decision will lie with star winger Mitch Marner. Marner is entering the final year of his deal and has a no movement clause in his contract. It is his right to hold firm and finish out his tenure with Toronto. But if changes are to come, there will be plenty of suitors.
This may be the juiciest of the NHL Rumours and what buzz is surrounding in the league. If Marner is to be available, there will be plenty of suitors. The Maple Leafs have not approached him about his deal, nor have had extension talks. There could be a time for that but if it does, there are a few teams that could be seen as a fit.
Pagnotta has reported that the Nashville Predators, Dallas Stars, Vegas Golden Knights, and the Chicago Blackhawks could be of interest. Vegas would be the hardest one, as they are tight against the salary cap, but the others make sense.
Barry Trotz traded Ryan McDonagh back to the Tampa Bay Lightning, which increased the salary cap to $26 million. Furthermore, they have the draft picks and the money to offer him the deal he could be seeking. No state income tax has its perks and that’s intriguing. Pairing a dynamic player like Marner with Filip Forsberg and Ryan O’Reilly could make them much more dangerous.
The Stars offence is dynamic and has the depth. In addition, the emergence of Logan Stankoven and Wyatt Johnston is huge. Adding Marner could easily make them the most dangerous team in the western conference.
The most intriguing one may be the Blackhawks. They currently hold the second overall pick, but more importantly have Connor Bedard. Taylor Hall still remains in the fold, but adding Marner also gives Bedard a running mate. It remains to be seen if Marner wants to go to a rebuilding club, but nothing is off the table.
