Rumor: Marner on his way to Eastern rival?

The Toronto Maple Leafs are off to a blazing start this season, kicking it off with a 7-2-0 record. Mike Babcock's squad is taking on the Carolina Hurricanes tonight, and there is speculation that the two teams could become trade partners in the near future.

Mitch Marner has been delegated to the 4th line in recent games, and as per tradition in a crazy hockey market such as Toronto, trade talks are swirling around the star player.

The 4th overall pick in 2015 has 6 points in 9 games so far, so it isn't like he is struggling to produce - but his game is lacking something as far as Babcock is concerned, hence his spot on the 4th line.

Lou Lamoriello had big words for Sportsnet's Rory Boylen. 

“Mitch is an extremely important part of our team, there is no question about that,” Lamoriello said. “I don’t feel in any way whatsoever that Mitch will not get back to where he was in a short period of time. He’ll determine that, the coaches will determine that, I’m extremely comfortable with that, but he’s a very very important part of this organization and an important part of any potential success that we have the ability to have.”

That being said, Boylen echos his colleague Nick Kypreos when he says that the Hurricanes and Leafs are logical trade partners. 

“That’s where Ron Francis [Carolina Hurricanes general manager] goes, ‘Listen, this Marner thing ain’t working for you, he’s on your fourth line. I’ll take him,'” Kypreos said.

Boylen mentions various options in a potential trade between the two clubs. Noah Hanifin, Haydn Fleury, Jake Bean and Justin Faulk are all players that could feasibly be swapped one-for-one with Marner - in some of these instances other pieces could be involved to balance a deal - nonetheless, Toronto is known to be in the market for a top young defenseman, and with the sheer offensive depth that they boast, the fit is there to make a deal.

How would you feel if a trade like this were to go down?