Leafs threaten Marner with trade on Draft day?!

The Toronto Maple Leafs are scratching their heads to see what offer will keep Mitch Marner away from the desire to test the free agent market and meet with other NHL teams during the RFA offer sheet interview period that begins on June 26th.

While many believe the right price and term will keep Marner in Toronto, TVA Sports’ Renaud Lavoie thinks general manager Kyle Dubas could play another game and threaten to trade Marner on Draft day on June 21st. 

"In reality Marner has no power," Lavoie explained on Friday morning. We must also understand that the Maple Leafs could get angry and hang the sword of Damocles over his head saying: "If you do not sign a contract with us by the beginning of the draft, the Friday we are trading you’”

“In that situation, you do not control your destiny, you can find yourself in a market where you absolutely do not want to play," he added. 

The Maple Leafs have over $74.2 million invested in 17 players for 2019-20, which means they have less than $9 million to work with should the salary cap reach the projected $83 million.

It is expected that Marner will be seeking Auston Matthews money, he who agreed to a  $11.6 million AAV that he signed prior to the trade deadline back in February.  

Fans would be happy to see Dubas use this strategy that could backfire… let’s be careful here.