The Toronto Maple Leafs have a double-digit annual average value and did not make it further in the Stanley Cup playoffs.
Among those players is Mitch Marner, who will be available as a free agent following the 2020–21 campaign. That is one of the main reasons there are reports that he will be up for trade. Leafs supporters also really want him to skate for another team.
At age 26, Marner has an AAV of $10.9 million. Last season, he recorded 59 assists and 26 goals. Marner’s 445 career assists show what a fantastic passer he is.
Among the few teams with the cap room to pay his entire deal is the Chicago Blackhawks. They desperately require forward enhancements.
Marner would have to authorize any transfer, though, as he has a no-movement clause. Perhaps he is reluctant to join a squad that will likely need to wait at least one or two more seasons to contend for the postseason. However, it must be attractive to play on the same line as Connor Bedard.
How would the Blackhawks get there?
Seth Jones, a defenseman, and his $9.5 million AAV may be implicated. Jones will be dealt in any rumored trade packages involving the Blackhawks. The fact that he is paid like a top defenseman even though he skates like he would rather be somewhere else most nights has angered Hawks supporters.
Jones had a difficult time scoring over the season’s first three months. It’s possible that Jones won’t improve Toronto’s blue line.
Why would the Leafs want to take on Seth’s salary even if they got prospects and picks in return for Marner?
The Athletic offered a thought-provoking analysis of the Leafs’ reasoning for dealing Marner for Jones in addition to a few selections and prospects.
Mitch Marner trade scenarios: A 'Who Says No?’ mailbag
— The Athletic NHL (@TheAthleticNHL) May 28, 2024
Based on his ice time, it is thought that Jones is still valuable. Even though Alex Vlasic was the only real reliable blueliner the Hawks had, he finished fourth in the league with a 25:29 rating, thus despite the team’s dismal performance, it says something that he stayed on the ice for that long. Jones is still capable of producing strong performances most of the time, just not at the level of the team’s highest paid player. Above all, he is regarded as trustworthy when skating.
Jones may not have played as consistently as the top defenseman the Hawks believed him to be when he earned that massive contract because of being on a poor club. A shift in environment and competing for a Stanley Cup might give Jones new life.
He has a contract that pays a significantly lower AAV than Marner for the remainder of the decade. This implies that the Leafs will be able to balance their higher-end cap hits with respect to the forward and blue-line group a little bit more.
All of it hinges on the Maple Leafs’ perception of Jones. Recall that, as Blackhawks supporters, we have preconceived notions about Seth based on his income. He might still be viewed by other teams as an All-Star player.
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