Islanders’ plan for a double dose of revenge against the Leafs exposed!

With the Maple Leafs’ season officially over, there is a growing sense that team president Brendan Shanahan or pending free-agent winger Mitch Marner will not receive contract extensions in Toronto. This has prompted Ethan Sears of the New York Post to suggest that the Islanders will go after Shanahan and Marner as a “double dose of revenge against the Leafs for signing away John Tavares in 2018.”

In his article, Sears explains how the Islanders should hire Shanahan when he becomes available as their new president of hockey operations and/or general manager, and also proposed signing Marner if the Islanders could find a way to clear some cap space.

Clearly, out in New York, the betrayal of Tavares signing in Toronto still burns deep in the psyche of some of the fanbase and this might be what Islanders’ fans want for the 2025-26 season.

It has however recently been reported that the Islanders’ search for a new general manager has reportedly boiled down to former Montreal Canadiens GM Marc Bergevin and Tampa Bay Lightning assistant GM Mathieu Darche. Could the idea of getting Shanahan and Marner as a bonus change the plan in New York?

The Islanders have, according to Chris Johnston, asked for permission from the Maple Leafs to speak with Shanahan. Per Sportsnet, Toronto has granted Shanahan the permission to discuss with the Islanders. 

Stay tuned...