Insider Links Maple Leafs to Star Winger to Replace Marner in Free Agency
The Toronto Maple Leafs will be a team to watch this offseason, as Mitch Marner is the top free agent available.
With all signs pointing to Marner leaving in free agency, Toronto will look to replace him. NHL insiders Shayna Goldman and Murat Ates of The Athletic link the Maple Leafs to sign Nikolaj Ehlers of the Winnipeg Jets to replace Marner.
“If Mitch Marner walks as a free agent, Toronto should join the market for Ehlers,” the article read. “As much as Toronto has adopted a more playoff-style game with tight defense and an aggressive forecheck, this team still needs a high-octane offense with more contributors. That would still be true even if Marner, a winger capable of putting up 100 points, were to extend.
“As much as the focus is always on what the Core Four do, the fact is that the team got outscored 12-6 this postseason with Marner, Auston Matthews, William Nylander and John Tavares on the bench. So if Marner leaves, that offensive need is even more pressing,” the article added.
Ehlers would be cheaper than Marner and would give the Maple Leafs a different look. Toronto’s GM Brad Treliving said the team needs a DNA change, and swapping Marner for Ehlers would do just that.
Marner recorded 27 goals and 75 assists for 102 points in 81 games last season. Ehlers, meanwhile, recorded 24 goals and 39 assists for 63 points in 69 games.
Insiders: Signing Ehlers Would Give Maple Leafs Flexibility
In free agency, Marner is expected to get around $13 million while Ehlers will be around $8-9 million.
With Ehlers making less money, Goldman and Ates believe Toronto would be able to fill out their roster better by replacing Marner with the Jets winger.
“Ehlers isn’t a one-for-one replacement for Marner. He doesn’t play matchup minutes or kill penalties,” the article read. “But he’s a high-end puck mover who can generate rush scoring and create dangerous chances. And with his salary on the books in place of Marner’s, the Leafs would have more space to add depth scoring (or any extra penalty killers) needed around their core.
“While Ehlers doesn’t have the longest history of excelling in the playoffs, his difference-making performance this spring in Winnipeg showed those demons are behind him,” the article added. “Just look at his cross-ice pass that helped set up Cole Perfetti’s Game 7 game-tying goal in Round 1.”
Ehlers completed his seven-year, $42 million deal with the Jets and will be looking for a raise on that.
Maple Leafs GM Says DNA Has to Change
After Toronto was eliminated in the second round of the Stanley Cup playoffs by the Florida Panthers, Treliving made a bold comment.
At his year-end press conference, Treliving said the Maple Leafs need a DNA change. Which could mean major changes to the core.
“There’s some DNA that has to change in our team,” Treliving said. “If you keep getting to the same result, there’s some DNA that needs to change. That’s on me going forward. We’ve now started the planning, and it’s early, for putting a team together for 2025-26.”
The Maple Leafs won just two playoff series with their core group.
Analyst Wonders if Maple Leafs Will Buyout Star $60 Million Player
NHL analyst Adam Wylde believes the Toronto Maple Leafs could make a bold move this offseason with a buyout.
Toronto is looking to make some major changes this offseason, and Wylde believes the Maple Leafs should look to buyout Morgan Rielly. The star defenseman has four years left on his eight-year, $60 million deal and has been an important player for Toronto.
However, his name has come up in trade rumors, and Wylde wonders if the Maple Leafs will buy him out.
“When you have a no-move, can you be bought out on a no-move? A buyout would save them $5.8 million next year. It’s a lot of years,” Wylde said on SDPN.
Immediately after posing his thought, his co-host Steve Dangle shot it down.
“There’s no way. They are not buying out Morgan Reilly, no way,” Dangle said.
If Toronto does buyout Rielly, it would save the $5.8 million next season and $3.86 million from 2026 until 2030. However, from 2031 until 2035, there would be a $2.13 million cap hit, according to PuckPedia.
Rielly skated in 82 games, recording 7 goals and 34 assists for 41 points. He’s spent his entire 873-game career with the Maple Leafs after being drafted fifth overall in 2012.
Rielly Doesn’t Want to Leave Maple Leafs
Toronto could look to buyout Rielly due to the fact that he has a no-movement clause.
Rielly’s name has come up in trade rumors, but with him having a no-movement clause, he can deny any trade. After the Maple Leafs were eliminated by the Florida Panthers, he made it clear he had no desire to leave Toronto.
“That’s not what I’m thinking about right now,” Rielly said at locker cleanout day on May 20.
Instead, Rielly says he wants to help the Maple Leafs get over the hump.
“There’s always change,” Rielly said. “Every summer, every offseason is different. As a player, I think sometimes it’s best not to speculate on what may or may not happen. For us, individually for me, you want to focus on what you can do to come back better.”
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