It may already be a foregone conclusion that Mitch Marner will be leaving the only organization that he has played for in the Toronto Maple Leafs as free agency is set to start in a week’s time. Especially following much of the recent happenings, it appears as though even if the Leafs wanted him back, a potential reunion isn’t going to happen.
With Marner destined to join a new NHL team for the first time since entering the league, which potential destinations would be the worst-case scenario for the Maple Leafs? Here, we will take a closer look at five of those feared possible landing spots for the star winger.
Detroit Red Wings
The Leafs have had a long-standing rivalry against the Detroit Red Wings dating way back into the extended history between the two clubs. Whether it was back in the Original Six days or being together in the defunct Norris Division of the Western Conference in the late 20th century, the two teams have battled hard against each other whenever they met. However, they haven’t really seen each other in the playoffs in recent years due to the Red Wings working on a successful rebuild. But with key players in Dylan Larkin, Lucas Raymond, Moritz Seider and Alex DeBrincat now in place, they may only be one or two pieces away from being legitimate contenders once again.
Adding someone such as Marner’s calibre to significantly upgrade the playmaking ability of Detroit could effectively turn the team into an offensive juggernaut. That would be the last thing that the Leafs would want, to add another hard-to-beat playoff contender to their division, which in itself is hard enough to get out of already.
Vegas Golden Knights
The Vegas Golden Knights have practically been perennial contenders ever since they joined the NHL back in 2017. Benefiting from a smart expansion draft, they had the ability to constantly add key pieces to their roster even as it has evolved over the years. With prominent players ranging from Mark Stone, Alex Pietrangelo, Shea Theodore and Jack Eichel, the Golden Knights were never short of adding elite talent to the team. Together with their stylistic defensive structure and rugged style of play overall, to some they are essentially the Florida Panthers of the West.
As a result, the Leafs better hope that the rich doesn’t get any richer by having Marner join the Western Conference juggernauts. That’s because to make the Golden Kmights even stronger offensively would make them a complete team just like the Panthers. As for the potential massive contract Marner could get, if there’s anyone that could manage to fit in high salary players on their roster, Vegas would be the ones to do it.