REPORT: Top Free Agent Marner Interested in Golden Knights

It’s been nearly a week since the Toronto Maple Leafs once again failed to achieve the ultimate goal: winning their first Stanley Cup since 1967. After nine years of postseason mediocrity, there will be changes in Toronto. And that means that Mitch Marner, fresh off a 102-point season, will hit Free Agency on July 1st. 

On May 24th, The Athletic’s Pierre LeBrun announced a list of teams interested in acquiring Marner’s talents. Among others, the Anaheim Ducks, Chicago Blackhawks, Detroit Red Wings, and Los Angeles Kings covet the 28-year-old superstar. 

However, the list of teams LeBrun reported Marner was interested in was just two: the Florida Panthers and the Vegas Golden Knights. 

The Golden Knights, just ten days removed from a second-round exit of their own, have garnered a reputation for taking big swings in hopes of winning the Stanley Cup. Most of their notable acquisitions came through trades, like Mark Stone, Noah Hanifin, Tomáš Hertl, and, of course, Jack Eichel. However, in the 2020 offseason, the Golden Knights signed Alex Pietrangelo, the top Free Agent. 

Marner is the biggest fish in an otherwise fairly average Free Agent crop. Thus, he will have his fair share of interested suitors. A player of Marner’s caliber rarely becomes available, and it’s even less common for that player to be a Free Agent. One team will land a 102-point player without giving up assets other than salary cap space. 

Of course, a player like Marner won’t come cheap. Analysts expect him to command around $13 million in Free Agency.  And with $9.615 million in salary cap space, the Golden Knights currently can’t exactly afford to pay that. 

Not without a little roster reconfiguration, that is. 

If the Golden Knights are to pursue Mitch Marner, they’ll need to free up some salary cap space, which likely means shipping multiple players out. 

It won’t be easy. But the biggest reason the Golden Knights flamed out in the second round was a lack of offense. And despite what the Toronto fans and media might lead you to believe, Marner isn’t the only reason the Maple Leafs couldn’t get over the hump. 

Few players in the league possess Marner’s unique set of skills. He’s an elite playmaker who sees the ice in a way very few can. He’s a force on the power play and is equally talented at 5-on-5. And he’s defensively responsible— just two seasons ago, he was a finalist for the Frank J. Selke Trophy. 

If Marner is interested, the Golden Knights would be remiss not to try and land him. 

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