The most prominent figure in the rumor mill at the moment is Toronto Maple Leafs star Mitch Marner. Marner’s postseason struggles and the Maple Leafs’ subsequent first-round departure have raised doubts about his future in Toronto. The fact that Marner is in the last year of his contract has only made matters worse in that regard.
As a result, a number of possible landing locations for Marner have been considered. It’s interesting to note that among the teams generating some talk as potential suitors for Marner are the Lightning.
The Lightning are a team the Maple Leafs would think about dealing Marner to, according to a recent Jonas Siegel piece for The Athletic. Despite the fact that these two clubs are fierce rivals, Siegel thinks the Lightning have two guys whom the Maple Leafs would find intriguing.
Firstly, Siegel mentioned that defenseman Mikhail Sergachev might be the Maple Leafs’ next Marner target. The Maple Leafs undoubtedly need to strengthen their blue line this offseason, and Sergachev would provide them with a top-pairing defenseman who is able to play both ends.
After that, Siegel talked about Brandon Hagel, a Lightning winger, as a backup center choice for the Maple Leafs in the event that Sergachev was not available. Even though Hagel is not as well-known as Marner, the Maple Leafs would benefit greatly from having him in their starting lineup. He would also provide them with significantly more grit in addition to his potent scoring output, as Siegel points out. This season, he scored 75 points and had 26 goals in 82 games.
It is undeniable that the Lightning would benefit greatly from acquiring Marner, but it would be unexpected if he ended up in Tampa Bay. With little salary room heading into the summer, the Lightning still need to re-sign their captain, Steven Stamkos. Marner’s enormous $10.903 million limit is another asset.
