Boston Bruins
Say it ain’t so, but if Marner joins the big and bad Bruins, they would instantly become contenders once again after a disappointing 2024-25 campaign. Boston has always been well known to give value contracts to their key players without blowing the bank while getting them to buy into their system for sustainable winning at the same time. That’s how they had Brad Marchand in his best years at just over $6 million AAV per season and former captain Patrice Bergeron at less than $7 million AAV per season in his prime as well.
The Leafs have always had trouble getting by the Bruins in the playoffs, as witnessed in their failure in accomplishing the feat during the past decade whenever they met. But to now add Marner into the mix and suddenly turn the defensive Boston squad into a scoring machine, Toronto could be doomed even before the season starts.
Ottawa Senators
The provincial rivalry between the Leafs and the Ottawa Senators has been well documented. As much as they battle it out all season year after year, whenever they met in the playoffs, Toronto always ended up with the upper hand. This season was no different as the Leafs dispatched the Senators in six games during the first round of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs.
However, the Senators have been coming on strong in recent years with their new era of players including Brady Tkachuk, Drake Batherson, Thomas Chabot and Tim Stutzle. With the sudden boost to their core in a prime Marner joining the ranks, he could be the catalyst in the Senators’ offensive attack going forward to elevate them into the upper echelon in the league. That, in reality, would be the last thing the Leafs need, to create another obstacle to get by in their pursuit of the Cup.
Florida Panthers
This would be a travesty if the Stanley Cup champs end up landing Marner in free agency. As they say, if you can’t beat them, join them. But that would be a total nightmare scenario for Leafs fans everywhere. Of course, the Panthers have their own substantial numbers of key players heading to free agency, in particular Aaron Ekblad, Sam Bennett and Brad Marchand. But Panthers GM Bill Zito had suggested that they can find a way to fit them all in when all is said and done.
But even if the Panthers end up losing one or two of them, replacing them with the elite two-way play of Marner who isn’t even a center will significantly boost Florida’s offensive and defensive potential while reducing that of the Leafs due to his departure. To increase the discrepancy between the two teams even more, it could become an insurmountable mountain for Toronto to climb as a result.