Toronto Maple Leafs forward Mitch Marner’s potential move to Detroit is gaining attention as latest betting odds reveal chances of a blockbuster signing.
The biggest free agent heading into this summer is arguably Toronto Maple Leafs forward Mitch Marner, who is coming off a career-best season with 102 points (27 goals, 75 assists) in 81 games.
Many sources suggest that Marner is ready to leave Toronto, after being worn down by constant media scrutiny. One report even highlights that he has been verbally harassed during his personal time, when walking his dog in his neighbourhood. It appears his tenure with the Leafs is coming to an end, with rumours indicating the 28-year-old has no interest in moving to another Canadian team.
This leaves some interesting options for the superstar winger with one of the most likely landing spots being with the Detroit Red Wings. The move would suit Marner’s personal life, placing him just a three-and-a-half-hour drive or a quick hour-and-18-minute flight from his hometown of Toronto plus it keeps him on a competitive team as the Red Wings aim to make the playoffs again next season.
Wood was added to the fire when sportsbooks started putting out betting odds for what Marner's next team. The Red Wings find themselves tied for the 11th-best odds at +3500 with the Philadelphia Flyers and the New York Islanders. Detroit has $21.3 million in projected cap space but have to make several signings first before focussing on a big ticket like Marner, who will likely ask for an annual cap hit around $14-15 million.
We recently outlined all of Detroit's pending free agents heading into the offseason, with only a few notable names requiring significant financial commitments. The most prominent among them is veteran Patrick Kane, who is likely to command a higher cap hit if they want to keep him. Beyond Kane, the team faces decisions on expiring contracts for bottom-six forwards like Tyler Motte and Craig Smith.
If the organization believes it has suitable replacements in the minors, they could promote prospects to fill those roles to free up cap space and potentially open the door to pursue a high-profile player like Marner. However, even with that flexibility, the Red Wings will likely prioritize addressing more problems with the team like strengthening their blue line and securing a reliable goaltender until top prospect Sebastian Cossa is ready to be called up from AHL Grand Rapids.
Cap gymnastics will be needed, and some areas of concern may have to be overlooked like sticking with their current goaltending trio of Petr Mrazek, Cam Talbot, and potentially re-signing pending free agent Alex Lyon on a team-friendly deal. Still, if Detroit is serious about shaking up the roster by acquiring Marner, it's not impossible, especially with an experienced GM like Steve Yzerman at the helm. If he sees it as the right move, he’ll find a way to make it happen.
