Who would be the most interesting team for Mitch Marner to sign with?
As the Stanley Cup Final reaches its deeper waters, we’re oh-so close to officially commencing what should be a wild NHL offseason. There’s perhaps no more anticipated storyline than Mitch Marner’s pending free agency.
It’s all but certain his days with the Toronto Maple Leafs are done. From a pure hockey fan perspective, what would be the most interesting destination for Mitch Marner? To be clear, we’re picking among realistic options.
MATT LARKIN: I’m surprising myself with my pick of the Anaheim Ducks, but hear me out. This team improved quite a bit this past season, and with the coaching change to Joel Quenneville, it has a strong chance to keep rising (whether we like the decision to hire him or not for non-hockey reasons). We saw major steps forward from blueliner Jackson LaCombe and center Leo Carlsson this season. It feels like this team is one big push – or player – from playoff contention. Marner would give Anaheim its first true star since the prime years of Corey Perry and Ryan Getzlaf. Landing Marner would also seriously shake up the power balance in the Pacific Division. With Vegas and Los Angeles also very likely in the mix, the competition for Marner will determine a lot for 2025-26.
PAUL PIDUTTI: For pure chaos reasons, my gut was to say Toronto shocking everyone by retaining Marner’s services would be most interesting. But I think we can all agree that a 10th season of this long-running drama series would be one too many. I’m going with the Chicago Blackhawks. Why? First, it’s the only traditional hockey market of the rumored possibilities and an Original Six franchise at that. Second the signing would indicate a major shift in the franchise’s rebuild. Landing Marner wouldn’t make the Hawks a playoff team — they were a distant 35 points back of the second Wild Card. But it would tell everyone that Chicago expects Connor Bedard and their young prospects to break out very soon. The signing would presumably also come with other exciting reinforcements to help close that postseason point gap. Third, the soon-to-be 20-year-old Connor Bedard would have a worthy linemate and high-profile fixture on his wing for seven years. But what would be most compelling to me would be what it would say about Marner — that he wants to try to lead another hockey hotbed from the ashes. Anaheim, San Jose, or L.A. would clearly be safer, quieter choices on the West Coast. Does Marner’s age (28) and postseason baggage make sense for the Hawks? That’s up for debate. But the signing would be a juicy plot twist.
SCOTT MAXWELL: I’m not sure how likely it is that the Florida Panthers could actually make the money work to get him, but it has to be the Panthers, right? Just think back seven years ago when John Tavares made the move that has since angered New York Islanders fans. It wasn’t just that he had left that made them mad, it was that he went to a team that they hated in Toronto. So, if Marner were to make the same kind of move, there’s no team more hated than the Panthers right now, especially by Maple Leafs fans. If you really want to spice it up, if Marner signed for a below-market deal with Florida because of the no-state tax laws, Leafs fans would be fuming. On top of infuriating the city of Toronto, I think the move would be the most interesting because the Panthers are well known for extracting the best performances out of other teams’ castoffs, especially in the playoffs. Could they do the same with a player like Marner, who has always fallen below expectations in the most pivotal moments?
STEVEN ELLIS: Marner to San Jose? The Sharks have a great future ahead of them, but they’re missing a high-end thinker on the wings. It’ll be a significant downgrade in terms of pressure, but that might be what’s best for Marner moving forward. Could you imagine the plays he and Macklin Celebrini could pull off together? Absolute insanity and I’m all for it. The Sharks have a bright future moving forward, and Marner being part of it would be huge for the team’s trajectory.
ANTHONY DI MARCO: Boston Bruins, anyone? With the Bruins looking to recalibrate on the fly and make good on last year’s disastrous finale, there’s a clear need for high-end talent if they are to do so. Who better than Mitch Marner? Yes, a top-end center is the more pressing need, but they’re locked in with Elias Lindholm and Pavel Zacha for now; Fraser Minten is also on the way as a potential long-term 3C. Marner’s arrival would balance their top six and allow to have a superstar (David Pastrnak being the other) on each of their top two lines. Oh, and the other thing: imagine the theatre for when Mitch returns home in a Bruins jersey.
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