Potential Mitch Marner Replacement Gaining Steam as Top Target

As Toronto looks towards the 2025-26 season, they are going to have a much different lineup on the ice. Besides the new faces brought in, there's going to be a glaring hole on the top wing spot due to Mitch Marner's imminent departure.

While Toronto looks to add, it seems the Dallas is looking to subtract. With the looming contract situation of Jason Robertson, and some more than unsightly deals, they might be looking to move on from certain faces.

According to Elliotte Friedman, the Stars are keen to keep Granlund, but it's certainly dependent if they can move either Ilya Lyubushkin or Matt Dumba.

Granlund was solid since arriving in Dallas, but with a lot of variables depending on him staying, could the Maple Leafs swoop in to acquire him?

They could start by offering him a boatload of cash to start, but they probably aren't going to rush out and overspend in general.

Granlund has 610 points in 902 career games (197G, 431A) and is coming off a very respectable 66-point campaign with San Jose and Dallas (22G, 44A).

He made $5M per year on his last deal, and while he won't get a considerable raise, he's still going to reach above that amount, especially with a rising cap.

So it wouldn't be unreasonable to see him get $5.5M or above per year on his next deal, and at 33 it would be akin to a Brock Nelson level deal, albeit with much less production and money.

So if the Maple Leafs wanted to splurge on him, then offering a three-year, $16.5M deal should be enough to not only sway him financially, but still give him a competitive window to compete in.

If they could sign Granlund, putting him atop with Knies and Matthews, giving them the two-way winger they need, who can fill in at center whenever needed, can offer at least 35-40 assists per season, and doesn't mind blocking shots, throwing hits, and he's disciplined.

It's a short-term option no doubt, but with the Maple Leafs in win-now mode, they need to replace at least some facet of offense on the top line, and Granlund is a very solid option.