Bold sign-and-trade plan on the table for Mitch Marner!
You have to admit it makes sense for the Maple Leafs. See for yourself below:
All eyes are on Toronto as we get closer to free agency with the Mitch Marner situation heating up. Maple Leafs general manager Brad Treliving is in a tough spot seeing that if the pending free agency leaves in July, the team is letting a franchise cornerstone walk for nothing. According to Hockey Patrol, the only way to avoid the disastrous scenario is to force a sign-and-trade deal in order for the Maple Leafs to salvage some value from what could otherwise be a devastating loss.
After the exit interviews last week, there is a growing sense that Marner will not stay in Toronto, and that’s why Hockey Patrol suggests Treliving should sit down with Marner and ask for a shortlist of preferred destinations — ideally five to seven teams. This approach respects the player’s wishes while allowing Toronto to explore realistic trade options.
For weeks now, several teams have been linked to Marner with the possibility of signing him to a monster contract and one of them are the Los Angeles Kings. That’s why Hockey Patrol’s scenario suggests the following deal with the Kings: Marner, Pontus Holmberg, and Topi Niemelä to LA in exchange for Warren Foegele and the signing rights to Vladislav Gavrikov.
The return may not reflect Marner’s full on-ice value, but it brings balance to a roster that desperately needs depth, especially on defense and in the bottom six.
Gavrikov brings size, consistency, and reliability to the Leafs’ blue line as he’s recorded 30 points and a +26 rating in all 82 contests. Meanwhile, Foegele just had a breakout season and could slot in as a strong two-way third-line center.
For Marner, LA offers a fresh start and a chance to build chemistry with rising stars like Quinton Byfield. Toronto, meanwhile, clears cap space, adds useful pieces, and retains some leverage ahead of the crucial 2026 free agent market with a passionate fanbase dreaming about Connor McDavid coming home…
It won’t be easy to ask Marner to commit before hitting the open market. But for Treliving, it’s worth a shot. The worst he will get is a “no” — and that’s already the answer looming over this summer.
