Three Key Reasons a Mitch Marner Sign-and-Trade to Vegas Makes Sense Right Now
Photo credit: Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Images
Mitch Marner's sign and trade saga needs to be completed according to former NHL Assistant GM Steve Werier based on three reason: Legacy, Leverage, and Benchmarking.
While there's nothing concrete yet between the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Vegas Golden Knights regarding a Mitch Marner sign and trade, there's a lot of smoke surrounding the rumors.
It would be a massive coup for Brad Treliving to get some assets back after it seemed Marner was leaving for nothing.
Toronto and Vegas need to agree to a Mitch Marner sign and trade
We still need to wait and see what happens and it's very possible that nothing materializes after all, but things are looking like they are trending towards a deal being made.
Steve Werier, former Assistant GM for the Panthers believes that a deal has to get done for both teams, given the advantages and consequences surrounding a completed trade.
Speaking at lengths on social media, Werier explained there are three factors that should lead to a deal being finalized:
Having managed a NHL cap through free agency, and traded for pending UFA negotiating rights before July 1st, there's 3 reasons why a Marner/Vegas sign & trade makes sense today.even if it's for fewer than 8 years:
Legacy, Leverage & Benchmarking
Legacy, Leverage & Benchmarking
What do those reasons actually mean in the context of things? Let's try and break it down.
Breaking down the Legacy, Leverage, and Benchmarking of a Marner trade
First off is Legacy. While it seems pretty simple at first glance, Werier explained that the legacy aspect would garner Marner a ton of praise in Toronto and perhaps keep his reputation intact after so much criticism for his approach to free agency:
Mitch and his agent can say «We prioritized giving Toronto a preferred destination early - and gave up some July 1 leverage - to do right by TML & let them get assets back».
Great point, as Marner's camp can feel good that they didn't really stiff the team in the end, but are able to get their preferred destination. They are also potentially losing out on some more money, and that could also be seen as a favor towards Toronto.
On the flip side, if he is now just choosing to work with the Maple Leafs on a sign and trade, why the heck didn't he do it months earlier when there was a package sending him to Carolina? Or New York? Or Vegas previously? Marner is trying to save a bit of face, and who can blame him.
Fans essentially ran him out of town after his lack of production yet again, and he was not too pleased with how he was treated.
But it would also behoove Vegas to get a deal done because...
Leverage is going to mean the world to Vegas come Tuesday, and if they can get a deal done they are essentially set to make a flurry of moves come July 1.
As Werier puts it:
An extra 24/48 hours of cap and roster certainty lets VGK move at full speed on 7/1 on other deals, prevents post-trade extortion on the cap-clearing moves already taken care of in this trade, and eliminates the risk of other Marner suitors maneuvering & emerging
It's pretty cut and dry, as Vegas would be able to get a hold of Marner before anyone, can have their trade pieces shifted elsewhere, and they hold the cards when it comes to who they want to part with.
They get a head start before anyone, and if there's a deal to be made, they need to make it.
But if they do, it's going to certainly have a ripple effect come July 1 due to...
Benchmarking, or precedent for lack of a better word. Getting a deal done quickly, before July 1, and for a great salary as well is going to make other free agents look to their respective agents in disbelief, wondering why they couldn't garner the same types of deals.
Darren Ferris finalizing Mitch's deal before July 1 (as opposed to in 2+ weeks) sets a helpful benchmark for other agents & their clients seeking a big new deal (Ehlers) or extension (Kaprizov).
And it frees up other potential Mitch suitors to spend $ elsewhere
And it frees up other potential Mitch suitors to spend $ elsewhere
Plus it means they want money now, considering that the top free agents are already off the market if Marner signs (Sam Bennett already re-signed) which means they are going to be looking for the biggest amount possible.
Teams are going to be desperate, and if they are willing to pay a little more, you bet your bottom dollar they are going to. Which means some players are going to get a huge raise; and we can expect a ton of deals to come in hot and heavy on Tuesday.
Werier has laid it out pretty clear that a Mitch Marner sign and trade is a great thing for both teams.
The only question is: If it gets done, is that even the end of things?
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