The Toronto Maple Leafs will not be re-signing forward Mitch Marner this offseason, as confirmed by Andy Strickland. It officially clears the way for the 28-year-old wing to enter NHL free agency, where he will be the best player available this offseason.
Marner, who has played in the All-Star Game three times, is rated as the No. 1 player in both The Athletic and ESPN‘s NHL free agency rankings. With the Florida Panthers expected to re-sign center Sam Bennett to a lucrative eight-year contract, Marner’s market will be even stronger this offseason. At a time when the NHL salary cap is exploding, with nine teams projected to have at least $25 million in cap room, Marner should become one of the highest-paid NHL players ever with his next contract.
- Mitch Marner stats: 102 points (75 assists, 27 goals), +18 plus/minus, 6 power-play goals, 7 game-winning goals, 15.6% shooting rate, 4 blocks, 49 hits, 56 takeaways, 106 giveaways
Let’s dive into some of the top potential landing spots for Marner in NHL free agency.
Anaheim Ducks
The Anaheim Ducks already made a splash this offseason with the Chris Kreider trade and they aren’t done yet. Among the early NHL rumors since the end of the regular season regarding Marner, Anaheim has been linked as one of his top potential landing spots. On the surface, signing with a team that hasn’t made the playoffs since 2018 might not sound appealing to Marner. However, Anaheim has the third-most projected cap space available. Furthermore, Jacob Trouba’s ($8 million) and Radko Gudas’s ($4 million) contracts come off the books next year. That creates both the short- and long-term financial flexibility to afford Marner — and it could give Anaheim a new top-six with a pair of wings capable of producing 27-plus goals and 70-plus points.
- Anaheim Ducks cap space (PuckPedia): $32.188 million
Related: Insider reveals historic Mitch Marner contract offer Ducks might make
Vegas Golden Knights
The Vegas Golden Knights certainly aren’t shy about making splash moves, even more so now. While Vegas won 50 games last season, it also marked the third time in four years that the Golden Knights failed to make it past the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Marner will certainly give some consideration in negotiations to perennial contenders, and we know Vegas wants him. After all, per James Mirtle of The Athletic, a three-team deal was nearly pulled off at the trade deadline that would have brought Marner to the Golden Knights. Vegas would obviously need to clear cap space, but that’s become a pastime for this front office. If Marner prioritizes winning over contract earnings, the Golden Knights might be the favorite to land him.
- Vegas Golden Knights cap space (PuckPedia): $9.615 million
Related: Latest on Mitch Marner’s future, replacement for Toronto Maple Leafs
Utah Mammoth
The Utah Mammoth have already made it known that the fourth overall pick is on the trade block. It signals a front office that wants to take a big step forward next season, especially with owner Ryan Smith pushing to put a more fan-friendly product with marquee names on the ice for the home crowd. Marner checks that box, and Utah can offer him the payday he’s looking for. The Mammoth could also strengthen their pitch during the 2025 NHL Draft if they can flip the No. 4 pick for a high-end talent who fits within the timeline of an organization that wants to win in the next three years. A relocated franchise needs to take a big swing to build strong support locally. Landing a player of Marner’s caliber and then building around him accomplishes that.
- Utah Mammoth cap space (PuckPedia): $20.357 million
Carolina Hurricanes
The Carolina Hurricanes are coming off a trip to the Eastern Conference Final, a five-game loss to the Florida Panthers that showed a weakness for this club. During the regular season, Carolina ranked 10th in points percentage (.604) but just 25th in power play percentage (18.7 percent). Marner had the 10th-most goals created per game (0.44) in hockey and ranked 11th in power-play points (33). While he declined a trade to Carolina in early March, circumstances have now changed. The Hurricanes have the money and assets to provide Marner with everything he’s prioritizing in NHL free agency.
- Carolina Hurricanes cap space (PuckPedia): $28.416 million
Chicago Blackhawks
The Chicago Blackhawks badly wanted the draft lottery to work out in their favor so they could land Michael Misa, regarded by most experts as the top forward available. With that now the table, splurging in free agency is the best avenue to build around Connor Bedard. This is a franchise that has not won a single playoff game – excluding the 2020 Stanley Cup Qualifiers – since April 24, 2016. To make matters worse, questions are being raised regarding the ability of the front office to build around a franchise-changing talent like Bedard. Chicago likely would need to overpay to land Marner, and he won’t make them an instant contender. However, signing him would finally give Bedard some help — and it would give the Blackhawks more credibility moving forward.
- Chicago Blackhawks cap space (PuckPedia): $29.203 million
Related: Latest buzz on who will be first, second picks in 2025 NHL Draft
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