Elliotte Friedman Reveals Front-Runner to Land Mitch Marner in Free Agency

With all the talk surrounding Mitch Marner, each day brings a new report that seems to throw a wrench into previous ones, and leaves us not really knowing how things are going to turn out until he puts pen to paper.

Vegas, Los Angeles, Florida, Anaheim, San Jose, and Chicago have all thrown their names into the hat, and while only one can walk away the victor, there's no doubt going to be a fight till the end.

But according to NHL Insider Elliotte Friedman on his 32 Thoughts podcast, it's going to be Sin City where Marner ends up:

It isn't too shocking given that Vegas is known for making splashes in order to keep their winning culture alive, and can make cap space work with a couple of smaller deals (including using Alex Pietrangelo's LTIR to their advantage).

They can offer Marner a great contract, a much lower tax rate, and a competitive window that still puts him among the stars of the team like Jack Eichel and Mark Stone.

But can Vegas outbid the other players in the Marner sweepstakes?

Besides offering him a minuscule tax rate compared to other places like California and especially in a Canadian market, Vegas has the perfect mix of veteran talent, young players and a consistent winning attitude.

Plus, it offers him potentially one of the smallest markets in terms of media spotlight as well. Vegas, while popular, is nowhere near the levels of a team like the Maple Leafs, and he won't be criticized or frowned upon for every little mistake.

He also just had a baby and is looking to move his family to a great spot to live, and Nevada certainly ranks up there. It's luxurious, it's warm, it's a great foundation to raise a family, and it can give Marner the chance to prove himself in the playoffs without the added pressure.

This season, Marner had a career-high 102 points (27G, 75A) and was a huge reason as to why the Maple Leafs were able to secure an Atlantic Division title.

He certainly earned his next payday, but it seems like Vegas is playing with house money, and the house always wins.