Maple Leafs Trade Pitch Lands Former 1st-Overall Pick For Mitch Marner

Toronto Maple Leafs forward Mitch Marner has been the subject of trade rumors all summer, and those rumors likely aren’t going to stop anytime soon.

Website PuckPedia has a new tool called PuckGM that lets users create their own trades, and it has been heavily used. Some users create unrealistic trades, while others pull off more realistic deals that would make sense for both teams.

One user created a trade that would send Mitch Marner to the New York Rangers for former first-overall pick Alexis Lafreniere among other pieces.

Maple Leafs Get:

• Alexis Lafreniere
• Jacob Trouba

Rangers Get: 

• Mitch Marner
• Timothy Liljegren

The trade would be a blockbuster and on paper, it does make sense. Marner is better right now than Lafreniere who is also not signed, so the Rangers who are in their Cup window would get an impact playmaker to work alongside Artemi Panarin. New York gets out of Jacob Trouba’s deal, which they have wanted to while adding a younger defenseman in Timothy Liljegren.

As for Toronto, they get a top defenseman in Trouba to strengthen their D-core even more and add Lafreniere who was drafted first-overall in 2020. Although he is unsigned, he’s an RFA, so the Maple Leafs would hold his rights and could sign him for much cheaper than what Marner makes.

However, at this time, it does seem likely that both Marner and Trouba will remain with their respective teams.

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Marner Wants to Stay with the Maple Leafs

Marner was born and raised in Toronto so he’s playing for his hometown team in the NHL.

With Marner playing for his hometown team, the skilled winger has made it clear he wants to remain with the Maple Leafs, despite him entering the final year of his deal.

“That’d be a goal. I’ve expressed my love for this place, this city. Obviously, I’ve grown up here. We’ll start thinking about that now and trying to figure something out… It means the world to me,” Marner told the media on May 6.

“We’re looked upon as kind of Gods here, to be honest, and something that you really appreciate. The love that you get here from this fan base and this attention is none like any other. You saw with the (NBA’s Toronto) Raptors a couple of years ago, the love (fans) still have for a lot of those players (who helped them win a championship in 2019) that they had to trade off this year. That’s the love you want,” Marner added.

Marner recorded 26 goals and 59 assists for 85 points in 69 games with Toronto last season.

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Trouba Likely to Remain With Rangers

Despite this one user having Trouba being part of the trade, the Rangers captain has a no-trade clause and has made it clear he wants to remain in New York.

Trouba has two years left on his deal, and recently, NHL insider Arthur Staple of The Athletic reported that it’s likely the defenseman will get traded next year instead of this offseason.

“If you want to talk next summer, then I’d say the chances of a Trouba trade go up from “nearly zero” to “nearly certain.” Both sides, the team and the captain, understand what’s coming after the 2024-25 season ends — new contracts are needed for Igor Shesterkin, Alexis Lafrenière and K’Andre Miller, plus a backup goalie and maybe another top-nine forward,” Staple wrote in his article.

“Trouba would have a year left on his deal and be more attractive to potential trade partners. His wife, Dr. Kelly Trouba, would be done with her residency at Lenox Hill Hospital in Manhattan. Things look tidier next summer for the Rangers and for Trouba, who surely also feels motivated to erase the ugly playoff run he had coming off a broken ankle late last regular season,” Staple added.

Trouba has two years left on his deal as he’ll make $8 million per season.

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