Blackhawks favored to sign Marner if he leaves Toronto
Mitch Marner's time in Toronto appears to be up.
The Maple Leafs' star is set to become an unrestricted free agent and seems destined to test the open market. There have been no rumblings of the two sides working on a new deal, and the Leafs reportedly asked Marner to waive his no-trade clause at this year's deadline.
But the writing is on the wall after another season of high expectations for Toronto ended in disappointment against the Florida Panthers. The Leafs need to make a change. With Marner poised to command a huge payday in free agency, it's unlikely Toronto will commit big money to run back the same group that's consistently come up short in the playoffs.
Who will sign Marner this offseason?
The Chicago Blackhawks are the +275 favorites at theScore Bet to land Marner's services. The fit makes sense considering the Blackhawks desperately need to add some skill at wing to help Connor Bedard. While a Bedard-Marner duo would be on the smaller side, there's no debating that the combo would be as dynamic as any in the NHL.
Chicago also has $30 million in cap space, per Spotrac. That's more than enough to get a deal done.
| Team | Odds |
|---|---|
| Blackhawks | +275 |
| Flyers | +400 |
| Penguins | +500 |
| Mammoth | +550 |
| Hurricanes | +750 |
| Red Wings | +1300 |
| Rangers | +1300 |
| Ducks | +1600 |
| Wild | +2000 |
| Canadiens | +2000 |
| Predators | +2000 |
| Kraken | +2300 |
The Philadelphia Flyers, Pittsburgh Penguins, Utah Mammoth, and Carolina Hurricanes are all under +1000.
The Flyers need a lot of help and have plenty of cap space.
The Penguins are an interesting spot since Marner and general manager Kyle Dubas are familiar with each other from their time in Toronto.
The Mammoth have long been rumored to be in the Marner sweepstakes. As a new team with a recently unveiled name, logo, and money to burn, Utah is in a prime position to make a big splash. Signing Marner would be a game-changer, igniting excitement and helping build a passionate fan base.
Carolina was reportedly linked to Marner at the deadline. When it became clear that Mikko Rantanen wouldn't sign with the Hurricanes after they acquired the Finnish star from the Colorado Avalanche during the season, the possibility of a Rantanen-Marner trade surfaced. That deal never came to fruition, but now Carolina can spend some of its nearly $32 million in cap space on the three-time All-Star.
| Team | Odds |
|---|---|
| Islanders | +2500 |
| Golden Knights | +2500 |
| Avalanche | +2800 |
| Stars | +2800 |
| Kings | +2800 |
| Devils | +2800 |
| Blues | +2800 |
| Flames | +3000 |
| Sharks | +3000 |
| Lightning | +3000 |
| Canucks | +3000 |
| Capitals | +3000 |
| Sabres | +3300 |
| Blue Jackets | +3300 |
| Oilers | +4500 |
| Panthers | +5000 |
| Jets | +5000 |
| Bruins | +6000 |
| Senators | +6000 |
The above list is all long shots, but a few teams stand out.
The San Jose Sharks have the most cap space heading into next season, and they're a young team that could use a veteran star like Marner. Additionally, Patrick Marleau works in the Sharks' front office and is familiar with the type of player Marner is from their time playing together in Toronto. He could push for San Jose to sign him.
The Columbus Blue Jackets also have a boatload of cap room. If Marner's camp is prioritizing money this offseason, taking a flier on a team with $40 million to spend isn't a bad option.
You'll notice the Leafs are absent from the oddsboard. That could be one of two things: This situation is so fluid that the sportsbook doesn't want to take the risk that Marner re-signs overnight with his hometown team, or there's no chance he returns to the Blue and White.
Whichever direction the Marner story goes, it'll be the talk of the offseason until he puts pen to paper.