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NHL Rumors: Insider claims Islanders might be interested in $65,408,000 million Maple Leafs winger
There is a possibility of a big move involving Toronto Maple Leafs winger Mitch Marner. Anthony LaRocco of The Fourth Period reported that the New York Islanders might be interested in acquiring the $65,408,000 million winger.
Since the Maple Leafs have not yet approached Marner about waiving his No Movement Clause, his name remains on trade boards as a major potential trade piece this summer.
"While we don’t know if the Islanders would be a team Marner would waive for, it is possible Lamoriello reaches out to his former team and inquires." Anthony LaRocco said.
During a May 6th interview, Marner expressed his desire to stay in Toronto:
“That would be the goal. I’ve expressed my love for this place, this city. Obviously I grew up here. I’ll start thinking about (a contract extension) now and try to figure something out,” Marner said.
The 27-year-old signed a six-year, $65.408 million contract with Toronto on September 13th, 2019. He has one year remaining on his contract with an average annual value (AAV) of $10.9 million. Last season, Marner scored 26 goals and 59 assists for a total of 85 points.
Lamoriello, who served as the Maple Leafs GM from July 2015, shortly after Marner was drafted fourth overall, until his move to the Islanders, has a history of pursuing high-profile players.
In 2019, during Marner's restricted free agency, there were rumors that Lamoriello, by then the Islanders GM, had shown interest in bringing Marner to New York. This suggests that Lamoriello might once again explore the possibility of acquiring Marner.
"It’s extremely unlikely Lamoriello would offer up Noah Dobson or Ilya Sorokin in exchange for Marner so it’s hard to see a path forward otherwise. However, it likely won’t stop Lamoriello from at least engaging in talks." Anthony LaRocco said.
Should the Maple Leafs reunite with John Klingberg?
John Klingberg's tenure with the Toronto Maple Leafs was cut short due to a hip injury after just 14 games. Now, after a successful surgery, he could be in line for a return for the upcoming season.
With the Leafs lacking defensive depth, Klingberg's return on a low-risk, one-year deal could benefit the team. Despite his previous struggles and the need for a new coach to unlock his potential, Klingberg's offensive skills could be valuable, especially on the power play.
Given the Leafs' limited cap space and pending decisions on key players like Domi and Bertuzzi, signing Klingberg to a cost-effective contract makes sense. While he may not fit in the top defensive pairings, he could still contribute effectively given the right opportunity.
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