Unprecedented disclosure on Toronto Maple Leafs Mitch Marner

After another disappointing post-season, the Toronto Maple Leafs now face a summer filled with trade rumors, particularly about star right winger Mitch Marner. It’s unfair to pin the consequences for another playoff letdown solely on Marner. But in the grand scheme of things, Marner having one year left on his contract during his prime makes him the most expendable of Toronto’s “Core Four” of forward talent. He has a no-move clause in his current contract, which means he can choose to stay in Toronto for the final year of his deal or have a say in where he’s dealt to. Marner can say all the right things about staying in Toronto, but it could be best for him and the Leafs to part ways and start new eras for themselves. Here are the five teams Marner could and should welcome a trade to: PITTSBURGH PENGUINS Hockey players are creatures of habit, and for Marner, the chance to work once again for Kyle Dubas might be a very attractive proposition. That goes double for the opportunity to play alongside Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Erik Karlsson and Kris Letang. Marner would be joining a Penguins team desperate to bounce back and make the playoffs next season, and Marner’s impact (on the regular season, at least) on the Pens would be immediate and notable. Marner’s $10.9-million salary won’t be easy to find a fit for, but given that Marner holds the hammer with his no-movement clause, he could easily specify Pittsburgh as his desired destination and find himself playing important hockey all season long. The Penguins have a projected $12.93 million in cap space next season, but they only have 17 of 23 roster spots filled, per PuckPedia.CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS Everyone and their uncle knows the Blackhawks are looking for veteran help to surround dynamic rookie Connor Bedard with. Marner definitely would improve Chicago’s offense and defense with his all-around above-average play. In accepting a deal to the Hawks, Marner gets a shot at playing alongside a truly incredible play-finishing talent like Bedard, and the Leafs get to spend that cap space on defensemen via trades or free agency. The X-factor is Seth Jones – a defenseman who is not a favorite of the fancy stats crowd but a minute-muncher who’d make Toronto’s defense corps better. But the chance to play on an Original Six team with an incredible talent like Bedard is the big sell here. Marner would be a huge hit in Chicago, and the Hawks would take a competitive step forward and push for a playoff spot next season.

NEW YORK ISLANDERS The Islanders should be looking for a new direction following their first-round playoff exit for the second straight year. Marner would help establish a new era on Long Island, and he and his new team would want to win immediately. Any Marner trade has to benefit both sides, and the Isles would have to hand over a significant talent to get this deal across the finish line. But Marner wouldn’t be the first Leafs star to be traded to the Islanders, and playing with star Mathew Barzal under coach Patrick Roy has to be seen as a positive for Marner. He can come into a new organization, still battle for the playoffs and raise his profile in the greater New York area.

ANAHEIM DUCKS All those in-season trade rumors surrounding Ducks star Trevor Zegras could turn into a reality in a Marner trade to Anaheim. The Ducks have been seeking veteran help to push their young core to the next level, and Marner definitely would do so. He’d also likely welcome the quietness of the Anaheim area and the relative lack of pesky media that cover the Ducks. Moving Marner for Zegras as part of a deal makes a lot of sense for both sides. Marner gets to jump aboard the Ducks’ rocket ship before it blasts into space with a slew of youngsters leading the way, and Zegras gets a fresh start on a proven playoff-worthy Leafs team. Ducks GM Pat Verbeek has plenty of cap space to work with, and the Ducks could easily add Marner and a few other veterans to ensure a post-season appearance next year.UTAH Utah co-owner Ryan Smith wants to make a big splash in the team’s first season, and splashes wouldn’t get much bigger than a Marner trade this summer. The excitement over this fresh slate would be especially noteworthy for Marner, who also would be joining a team on the precipice of being a regular playoff contender. The former Arizona Coyotes hockey operations staff would have to send at least one prominent player back to Toronto, but it could be small potatoes compared to the boost Marner would give to Utah. Marner would instantly be beloved in Salt Lake City, and at the same time, he could live in relative anonymity. Hard to see a downside for Marner in this deal. He’d be going to a place that wants him far more than Toronto does at present, and that means the world to any player on the trade block.