There isn’t any doubt that the biggest story for the Toronto Maple Leafs this season is the status of star winger Mitch Marner. There have been plenty of rumours swirling about him ever since the Maple Leafs were eliminated from the playoffs and if there was a member of the core to be dealt, he’s the ideal candidate to be the odd man out.
Now, there hasn’t been any discussions about a contract extension or even an impending move as general manager Brad Treliving is going to assess all angles and possibilities when it comes to Marner. While the possibility of him waiving his no-trade clause still remains, until it happens, nothing is official to this point. If and when it does though, there are definitely going to be teams calling on the creative, playmaking winger. (from, ‘Leafs-Predators Mitch Marner trade hysteria kicks off NHL silly season’, The Athletic – 5/22/24)
One of those teams that could be a good fit for the Maple Leafs as a potential trade partner could be the Vegas Golden Knights. They have their own cap situation to try and maneuver as well, but they have two key pieces that the Maple Leafs could target on defense and in goal. Shea Theodore and Logan Thompson could be ideal players that they can get in return. One giving this team some more offense and mobility on the blue line and the other would give some reassurance on the backend.
Full Trade
Toronto Maple Leafs Receive: Shea Theodore, Logan Thompson and a 2025 second-round pick
Vegas Golden Knights Receive: Mitch Marner and a 2024 fifth-round pick
Theodore’s Strong Two-Way Game
As mentioned, the Golden Knights have to make some tough decisions to their roster, especially after acquiring Tomas Hertl and Noah Hanifin, who was extended in the process. This makes keeping Theodore as a long-term piece very difficult, especially if they want to keep names like Jonathan Marchessault in the fold. He’s already being brought up as a name for the Maple Leafs to target as well.
If there is a potential deal involving Marner, Theodore makes total sense as a top-pairing defender to acquire. He’s been a consistent 40–50-point producer for the Golden Knights on the blueline and was very productive before he was injured. Even though he missed a good number of games last season, he was slightly under a point per game with 42 points in 47 games. He logged 22:05 of ice time per game, seeing a lot of minutes at even strength and on the power play, something that needs to be addressed immediately. Not to mention Theodore’s defensive game and play within his own zone is definitely something that they need, as he had 27 takeaways, compared to his 22 giveaways.
Theodore has shown to be consistent with his overall play over the years. His mobility can be beneficial with his quick puck-movement exiting the defensive zone in transition and ability to kill plays defensively is something the Maple Leafs could definitely use. He had a +12 goal differential at five-on-five and has a goals for percentage against of 57.1 against elite competition this season. This bodes well for his offensive production as he has been a factor every time he’s on the ice.
He has a modified no-move clause that includes a five team no trade list, per CapFriendly. Considering his contract status, cap hit of $5.2 million, can play both the left and right side and is a player the Maple Leafs need, giving up Marner is worth moving. It’ll even open things up for a possible extension with Theodore that the Golden Knights may not offer. He would instantly fit right in as a mobile, two-way defender.
Thompson’s Results Are Strong
Joseph Woll has shown that he can be a starter in this league. However, his injury concerns have plagued him over his career, including this past season. Treliving hopes they can find an answer so that he can be their go-to in net. When he’s healthy, you can see the poise and calmness when he’s in the crease. (from, With Berube done, the big off-season task for Maple Leafs’ Treliving about to start’, Toronto sun – 5/24/24).
Until then, there’s doubt with Woll playing a full season without missing significant time. In comes Logan Thompson as another potential piece in a Marner deal, as he has proven to be effective for the Golden Knights. Thompson split duties with Adin Hill this season, but he posted some decent numbers with his 2.70 goals against average and .908 save percentage. Although Thompson didn’t play during the Knights’ Stanley Cup run, he has quickly shown that he can become a capable starter in this league. Here’s a breakdown of how he has fared during last season at 5-on-5.
| Statistic | Thompson |
| SV% | .919 |
| GAA | 2.34 |
| GSAA | 5.22 |
| HDSV% | .816 |
Among goalies who have played 1,200 minutes, Thompson was in the top-20 in three of the four categories, which would go well in terms of getting results in net. If the Maple Leafs have an improved core on the blue line and can be a little more consistent in their own end, then Thompson could be relied on to secure wins and points in the standings for the team. Even in the 2024 playoffs, while Vegas lost in the first-round, Thompson posted 2.35 GAA and a .921 SV%, showing that he can really hold his own in the postseason.
While the Maple Leafs could’ve got a first-round pick for Marner, Thompson and the second-round pick makes up for that as a starter for this team. He’s earning just over league minimum ($766K) and with Ilya Samsonov a free agent himself, the Maple Leafs could give Thompson a pay raise with the added cap space.
Marner Gets a Fresh Start
While the Maple Leafs get the pieces they need and cap space to spread that around to other areas of need, the Vegas Golden Knights would be getting another dynamic player in their top-six. Not to mention a three time 90-point player and two-time All-Star.
Marner needs a fresh start. Although he won’t be playing with Auston Matthews, he could be seen alongside Jack Eichel on a highly skilled, offensive team where he can still be a two-way threat and skilled playmaker. Even if the Maple Leafs retain a bit of salary to make it work for Vegas’ cap situation, it wouldn’t hurt them in the future as it’ll only be for one season.
Whether or not Vegas ends up being a partner in a potential Marner deal, they have two key assets that the Maple Leafs could bring in and make this team deeper. Both Theodore and Thompson would make an immediate impact next season and the team would have the space to extend both of them for the future.
Statistics from Natural Stat Trick and PuckIQ.
