Toronto Maple Leafs star forward Mitch Marner will arguably be the top free agent available on July 1 and one Eastern Conference team is hoping to land him.
Marner has yet to re-sign with Toronto and NHL insider Anthony LaRocco of The Hockey News reported that the New York Islanders have plenty of interest in the star forward. However, LaRocco says the Islanders will only pursue Marner if they trade Noah Dobson.
“Here’s where I believe things stand regarding #Isles and Noah Dobso,” LaRocco wrote on X. “Despite his down year offensively and struggles in his own end, he will be looking for upwards of 8M on his next deal which Lou is hesitant on, and rightfully so. Dobson is highly regarded by other teams, and if moved he would return a difference-maker at the forward position.
“With that said, Lou isn’t shopping him. He’s likely identified a couple of players that he would move him for,” LaRocco added. “If one of those deals can’t get done, he’s most likely to get extended. If that happens, the #Isles will take a huge run at signing Marner come 7/1.”
Marner is in the final year of his six-year $65.41 million deal with the Maple Leafs. The star forward is in the midst of the best year of his career as he’s recorded 16 goals and 55 assists for 71 points in 54 games.
Maple Leafs Want to Re-Sign Marner
If Marner gets to July 1, there will be several teams interested in him.
However, Marner is from Toronto, and NHL insider Darren Dreger says both sides are hopeful a deal can get done.
“I think that Toronto very much wants to sign Marner. By all indications he wants to stay and be a life-long Toronto Maple Leaf,” Dreger said on TSN’s First Up on January 27. “It’s just the business side is what complicates it most. But I can assure you one thing. If Mitch Marner decided today that he wanted to schedule a meeting with Brad Treliving and get the ball rolling, they’d get the ball rolling immediately to sign him.”
Marner has spent his entire NHL career with the Maple Leafs. He was selected fourth overall in the 2015 NHL draft. The star forward is a three-time NHL All-Star.
Islanders May Not Move Dobson
The first domino for the Islanders to take a run at Marner is by trading Dobson.
The star defenseman is in the final year of his three-year $12 million deal. However, he will be an RFA and will be due for a raise. However, according to NHL insider Elliotte Friedman, Dobson doesn’t want to be traded, and the Islanders also aren’t interested in moving him.
“I do not think that Dobson wants to be traded,” Friedman said on the 32 Thoughts Podcast. “Even though, as I said, I think it’s possible he was discussed in one specific case by the Islanders, I do not think it is about that at all. Number one, he’s not widely available. There’s too many teams that would be all over the Islanders… if he was available.”
Dobson has skated in 46 games recording 6 goals and 18 assists for 24 points.
Insider: Eastern Conference Team to Take a ‘Huge Run’ at Signing Maple Leafs’ Marner