Mitch Marner Drawing Interest From Leafs' Division Rivals, per David Pagnotta
Photo credit: Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Images
NHL Insider David Pagnotta believes that Mitch Marner might not be interested in signing with a Canadian team this summer, but they have a lot of interest in him.
With several questions still surrounding where Mitch Marner will end up this summer, and for how much, it seems that it's going to come down a select few teams; mainly ones out West.
Loa Angeles and Vegas are both very likely candidates to sign Marner away, and while he might not be making a commitment right away, he won't take too long to choose somewhere and get acclimated.
Mitch Marner drawing interest from Canadian teams: David Pagnotta
But according to NHL Insider David Pagnotta, there are a few teams in the Canadian market that are certainly interested in the star forward.
Speaking with Jeff Marek on The Sheet, Pagnotta explained that Calgary and Montreal are both looking to make offers to Marner:
I think Calgary will express interest, I think the Montreal Canadiens will express interest, whether those are environments he wants to go in and be a part of, I don't get that sense. - David Pagnotta
To be fair, most of, if not every team in the NHL should look to add Marner to their team, but it would certainly throw a huge wrench into things if he were to go completely sideways and pick either Calgary or Montreal.
Montreal and Calgary vying for Mitch Marner; unlikely he chooses them
If you had to ask anyone, it seems extremely bizarre that a former Maple Leaf would not only spurn his team for one in the same division, but to join their most hated rivals would make Marner a pariah in Toronto.
However, they are the youngest team in the league and do offer a slew of young explosive talent like Ivan Demidov, Juraj Slavkofsky, Lane Hutson, and Cole Caufield who are all going to be anywhere from solid to elite in the coming years.
Adding a superstar like Marner who can come in and add even more offensive punch makes Montreal an instant playoff contender, and if they can get an above average year out of Sam Montembeault; they'll have one heck of a run.
But he's expensive, would head to another high pressure and even more rabid environment, and will need a lot of time to get acclimated; not a great combo.
Calgary might offer bit more for Marner, given he won't have as much pressure on Alberta's second favorite team and would be able to have Nazem Kadri, but also be able to help youngsters Connor Zary, Zayne Parekh, and Dustin Wolf.
They do have some cap space, but they have some key contracts to work on first like Zary's, Rasmus Andersson, and potentially bring back Mikael Backlund.
But whoever Marner signs with, it seems like he won't be representing a Canadian club in 2025-26, and his only chance to have a tie to the country again will be making the 2026 Olympic roster.
| POLL | ||
JUIN 17 | 573 ANSWERS Mitch Marner Drawing Interest From Leafs' Division Rivals, per David Pagnotta Where would Mitch Marner sign if he signed in Canada? | ||
| Toronto | 135 | 23.6 % |
| Ottawa | 121 | 21.1 % |
| Montreal | 134 | 23.4 % |
| Winnipeg | 183 | 31.9 % |
| List of polls | ||
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