There will be plenty of discourse around the Toronto Maple Leafs after another playoff failure, even though they took the defending champs to seven games. Changes are coming, and it’s because two members of their Core 4 are headed for free agency. John Tavares seems like a good bet to re-sign with the Maple Leafs, but Mitch Marner’s future appears much more uncertain.

I’m not a betting man, but if I were to guess, Marner will test the free-agent waters on July 1. His playoff struggles, especially later in a series, are legitimate. You can’t deny that, but some of us are losing the plot on Marner. He’s a star player, and teams should still be lining up to pursue him in free agency despite the playoff struggles.
Why hasn’t Marner thrived in a playoff environment? He is more of a perimeter player, so that’s something you can’t ignore. Even though scoring has increased in the playoffs in recent years, the game does get tighter in the postseason compared to the regular season, and that’ll affect a player who plays more on the perimeter.
However, I don’t think you can discount the pressure cooker that is playing in Toronto. It may seem like a cop out, but playing professional hockey in that market is different. It’s the hockey mecca of the world. It’s one of the largest cities in North America, and there comes a different level of added pressure playing in that city, especially since the Maple Leafs haven’t won a Stanley Cup since 1967.
Take what Chris Johnston had to say on his most recent podcast. While there’s been justified criticism of Marner, some of what he’s dealt with has bordered on harassment. You can deal with that in any market, but let’s not act like it isn’t heightened in Toronto, and much of it appeared to cross a line with some of the fanatic parts of the fanbase.
There are different reasons Marner has struggled in the playoffs, but you can’t ignore the overall product. Game-breaking talent is among the hardest to come by in the NHL. More often than not, you have to acquire it through the draft. That’s how the Maple Leafs came away with Auston Matthews, William Nylander and Marner. It’s not often a talent like Marner makes it to free agency, so teams should be lining up to pursue him.
Marner has been one of the most prolific scorers in the league over the last three seasons, averaging 30 goals and 102 points per 82 games. He’s been one of the most efficient five-on-five scorers over that stretch, averaging 2.67 points per 60 minutes. Only Sidney Crosby, Auston Matthews, Nikita Kucherov, Connor McDavid, Nathan MacKinnon and David Pastrnak have been more efficient five-on-five scorers. He’s in elite company.
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Marner is not just a one-trick pony, either. He was nominated for the Selke Trophy in 2023 alongside Nico Hischier and Patrice Bergeron. Of course, Bergeron won the award that season, his last in the NHL. But Marner has long been one of the top defensive forwards in the NHL, and he’s done so as a winger.
How many players do you know who can touch 95-100 points consistently but also compete for the Selke Trophy? Ironically, Auston Matthews is one of them, but there aren’t many others. He’d improve just about any team in the NHL, especially ones on the playoff bubble.
Elliotte Friedman mentioned it on the May 19 episode of 32 Thoughts, but there are teams that believe Marner will thrive in a different environment than Toronto. It’s not a guarantee, but it’s not hard to envision that being a reality if he settles in with the right organization.
At least half the teams in the NHL could use a 100-point scorer, and that’s being ultra conservative. However, not every team can afford Marner since he’s likely heading for a payday at an AAV of $13 million or more if he hits the open market. Still, a few teams have the money for him, and I’m sure some will be willing to open up the necessary cap space to sign him.
Among the best fits are the Chicago Blackhawks, Utah Mammoth and Los Angeles Kings. It feels like Marner and the Blackhawks have been connected before, but if they haven’t, I’m sure we’ll hear it in the coming weeks. The Blackhawks have oodles of cap space, and that’s selling it short. They enter the offseason with around $32 million in cap space without Shea Weber’s cap hit on LTIR.
They can offer Marner a literal blank check to join Connor Bedard. It’ll just be a matter of whether he wants to play there, but it could be enticing. The Blackhawks are not close to being playoff contenders, but they have plenty of draft capital and a strong farm system. Plus, Chicago is a major market, but without the noise you deal with in Toronto; the Bears, Cubs, and Bulls also take plenty of the attention. The Blackhawks need another game-breaker to complement Bedard, so I’m sure they’ll make a play for Marner.
The Mammoth are another team that seem like a good fit for Marner. They’re on the cusp of breaking through in the West, and acquiring a player like Marner would put them over the top of the other bubble teams. They have just over $21 million in cap space, meaning they have the necessary money to pay him what he deserves. It’s a new market, and fans will likely welcome a star like Marner choosing them in free agency. It could be the perfect destination for a fresh start.
The Kings could also make plenty of sense. Ken Holland is taking over as GM, and after four straight first-round losses to the Edmonton Oilers, adding a game-breaking talent like Marner could be what they need to take a step forward in the West. They have some decisions to make with their RFAs and UFAs, most notably Vladislav Gavrikov, but they have over $23 million in cap space. They seem like a logical landing spot for Marner, and like Chicago, it’s a major market but without the noise of Toronto.
Marner may have a poor playoff rep, and some of the criticism toward him is warranted. But it’s not like he’s the only Maple Leaf to not live up to expectations in the Core 4 era. Matthews, Nylander and even Tavares have had their fair share of struggles in the postseason. It’s just that with Marner, it may have reached a point of no return since he can become a UFA in less than two months.
Still, Marner is far from a playoff bum; he has 63 points in 70 career playoff games. It just needs to happen more in the big moments, and perhaps it could with a fresh start. With the right fit, he could find more success with a new organization, and that’s why teams should be lining up to sign him.
One-hundred-point players don’t grow on trees, and Marner is one of the few players who can consistently produce at that level with elite defensive impacts. Don’t let the discourse fool you. He is one of the few game-breaking talents in the NHL, and he can make a difference for the better for your favorite team.
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