Guentzel split last season between the Pittsburgh Penguins and Carolina Hurricanes.
Could the Toronto Maple Leafs land Jake Guentzel in free agency?
According to Daily Faceoff's Frank Seravalli, the Leafs are one of several teams that could take a run at landing the two-way forward.
"There are more than a handful of teams expected to be in the mix for the Stanley Cup-winning winger," Seravalli wrote on Tuesday. "If the Toronto Maple Leafs trade Mitch Marner, they could be players."
Why would the Maple Leafs be interested in Guentzel?
The left winger is a proven commodity who performs well in the playoffs. With 30 goals last season split between the Pittsburgh Penguins and Carolina Hurricanes, the forward can play anywhere in the lineup and produce. He has 67 points in 69 career playoff games.
If the Leafs were finally looking for a consistent winger on the left side for someone like Auston Matthews, it would be hard to argue against the 30-year-old Guentzel.
Why would a Marner trade be needed for any deal for Guentzel?
According to AFP analytics, a player like Guentzel is projected to fetch a seven-year deal with approximately $9.7 million on an average annual value. The Leafs have just under $20 million under the salary cap and it's clear that a pair of established defensemen and another goaltender are a bigger priority for Toronto right now.
Could they squeeze Guentzel in without a deal for Marner, who carries a $10.9 million cap this season? Likely not. It's also unclear if Marner would move his full no-move before free agency opens on July 1 rendering the pursuit moot. The Leafs can be 10 percent over the $88 million salary cap during the offseason. So there is that.
Everything the Leafs will do will revolve around how the Marner situation shakes out between now and July 1.
