With all the speculation of a Mitch Marner trade this offseason, other networks along with many Leafs fans have made up mock trades for the superstar forward. Listed below will be 3 baseline deals that have been seen running around, and that make the most sense for both parties involved.

Mitch Marner 2023 Statistics: 26G, 59A, 85P

Toronto acquires D Rasmus Andersson, G Jacob Markstrom from the Calgary Flames for F Mitch Marner

The most common trade that’s out there, and probably the most realistic. It’s been known that the Flames were looking at dealing Markstrom during this past season, and I wouldn’t imagine that would stop in the offseason. Toronto gets a proven goaltender that can compete with Joe Woll and challenge him to see what he is truly capable of. They also acquire a Top 2 defenseman, who plays on the right side and will be able to form a great pair with Morgan Rielly. Markstrom has 2 years remaining at a salary of $6M per, and Andersson comes in at $4.55M for 2 years as well. That sums up to a whopping $10.55M, about $350K less than Marner’s deal. So sure, Calgary takes on a couple extra dollars, but they’ve shown that in their rebuild they still want to be a competitive club, and with Marner as your top guy that’s what they’d be.

As Calgary is a smaller market hockey team, and not one of the best teams in the league, who knows if Marner will waive his NMC to go to Calgary. It gives Marner an opportunity to be the true star player, alongside a supporting cast of Nazem Kadri, and Jonathan Huberdeau. Mitch will be given the opportunity to showcase his true talents as a number one option on both the penalty kill and powerplay, giving him immense value going into the 2025 offseason.

Rasmus Andersson 2023 Statistics: 9G, 30A, 39P

Jacob Markstrom 2023 Statistics: 23-23-2, .905 SV%, 2.78GAA

Toronto acquires G Juuse Saros from the Nashville Predators for F Mitch Marner

Between this and the Calgary trade listed above, these are the two that make the most sense as well as staying on the track of realism. This gives Toronto a true #1 goaltender, who has proven himself on a subpar team. On a team like the Maple Leafs, Saros can get back to the form we’ve seen in the early 2020s, and maybe even a touch better. On the other hand, it gives Marner the freedom to be the star on the team, and he has a great goal scorer on the other wing in Filip Forsberg. The point totals will still be there, and he would have more leeway to play his game. Saros is coming into the final year of his deal at a cap hit of $6M, and you can imagine in a contract year with the Maple Leafs, he will get a pretty little penny in the offseason.

With Mitch Marner right in the middle of his prime, there is no doubt he will be a top 2 player on most teams in the league. Nashville is still a good enough team that they are able to compete, as they did make the playoffs this past year. With another star studded forward like Marner, Nashville can surely get their goal total up from this past year.

Juuse Saros Statistics: 35-24-5, .906 SV%, 2.86GAA

Toronto acquires D Shea Theodore and F Nicolas Roy from the Vegas Golden Knights for F Mitch Marner

Vegas is about as cap-strapped as they could be, and yet they always seem to be in the running for just about every star player of that trade deadline and offseason. With the uncertainty around Mark Stone every year, and Vegas’ constant look at star forwards, Marner seems like a guy who would love to play for the Knights. A big hockey market with a lot of recent success in the postseason, sounds just like something that Marner would love.

For Toronto, they are clearly trying to build a new identity with this team, from the coaching staff to the players, they want to be a heavier, harder team to play against. Nic Roy is a player that plays a hard forechecking game and is a piece that can be an impactful 3rd line center, between two players who can create offense and play a hard style of hockey. Shea Theodore is a proven top pair defenseman, who can play on the right side with Morgan Rielly, and it gives the Leafs a true QB on the powerplay, something they had wished for when they signed John Klingberg last offseason.

Shea Theodore 2023 Statistics: 5G, 37A, 42P

Nicolas Roy Statistics: 13G, 28A, 41P

Analysis

The Toronto Maple Leafs have been in a situation where they are unable to make it far in the playoffs, and they seem to always have problems with the money surrounding the “Core 4” players. Trading Marner can give them some relief, or add pieces of the same monetary value that help the Leafs out in areas they need most. It will be a long offseason, but it is an offseason that will bring many surprises to Leaf Nation.