Toronto Maple Leafs Should Trade for Clayton Keller

At this point of the offseason, it feels like the Toronto Maple Leafs are done making moves, but they should seriously consider trading for Clayton Keller.

The Toronto Maple Leafs are not going to win any trade if they moved Mitch Marner, but receiving Clayton Keller in exchange could be the best they can do. On paper you wouldn't think that this is a fair deal at all, but it makes so much sense for both sides.

The Utah Hockey Club are a new franchise, with new ownership, who want to win sooner than later. Similarly to Vegas and Seattle, who both made the playoffs immediately, Utah wants to do the same and be competitive right away. Their current roster is not good enough to make the playoffs in Year 1, but the addition of Marner would really help.

When you have a new franchise, you need to build excitement and that starts with star players. As much as Keller is an All-Star caliber player, he isn't quite a superstar.

Toronto Maple Leafs Should Trade for Clayton Keller

Marner, on the other hand, is the perfect player to market around. Not only is he incredibly skilled on the ice, as one of the best right-wingers in hockey, but he's very likable off the ice.

As we all know, Marner has to accept a deal to Utah in order for this to work, and the Leafs would have to agree to lose a trade on purpose, but it makes some sense for both sides for a number of reasons.

With one year left on his contract, Marner can try to help guide a first year team to the playoffs and continue to grow his stock. Do the Leafs want the distraction of this hanging over their head all season?

Marner makes $10 million now and will require something in the neighborhood of $12 million to stick around.

Would the Leafs give him this kind of contract? Maybe, maybe not. From Marner's perspective, if he wants to make the most amount of money possible, Utah gives him that freedom to do so.

But why would this make sense for Toronto? Why would they gift Utah one year of Marner, when they're salay-cap compliant right now, and take on Keller until 2028 instead? Well, that's exactly the reason why. Keller is under contract for three more seasons and only makes $7.15M AAV. The two-time 30-goal scorer finished with 37 goals and 86 points during the 2022-23 season playing in front of 3,000 fans each night, with Nick Smaltz as his top centreman.

Auston Matthews and Keller already have a friendship, which is tied to Arizona, so imagine what those two could do together every night? No offense to his former teammates, but he's never really played with a true number-one centre, and there's no doubt in my mind that he could score 40 goals and reach 100 points alongside Matthews.

So for essentially $4M less AAV, for the next three seasons, the Leafs could be getting similar production out of Keller versus Marner, but none of the defense.

Not only could Utah absorb Marner's contract, but I'm sure they'd also be willing to add a draft pick or prospect to acquire him as well. As much as I've continued to shut the door on Marner trade speculation, this is one trade that I would totally be fine with the Toronto Maple Leafs making.