Brian Burke, a former Toronto Maple Leafs general manager believes the team should trade William Nylander, not Mitch Marner.
After the Maple Leafs were eliminated from the playoffs by the Boston Bruins, Marner had been the subject of trade rumors. However, Burke, who served as the GM in Toronto from 2008 until 2013, thinks the Maple Leafs should trade Nylander and not Marner as he believes Marner is a more valuable player.
“Obviously, with no-trades and no-moves, you can really question the wisdom of all that, but it really is a case where you are going to have to convince one of these guys to get out. I think the logical guy to move would be Willie Nylander and not Mitch Marner, I’ve said that before, but I think it might be Mitch Marner. If you are going to talk one of them into leaving, it’s not popular, people aren’t going to like it but they are going to get it,” Burke said on The Leafs Nation on July 3.
“I think Mitch Marner is a really important player on the team, he kills penalties, I know people are down on him right now, but he’s a great kid and an important player. They are both great players, I just think Mitch Marner is a much more valuable player to me,” Burke continued.
Marner is entering the final year of the seven-year $65.4 million deal, as he’s set to make $10.9 million per season. Nylander, meanwhile, will be entering the first year of the eight-year $92 million deal he signed with the Maple Leafs on January 8.
Both Marner and Nylander have no-movement clauses, so if neither wants to be traded they can’t be. But, if both are willing to be waived, Burke thinks it should be Nylander that the Maple Leafs look to trade.
Burke Isn’t a Fan of Maple Leafs Core Four
The Maple Leafs have built their team around their core four of Marner, Nylander, John Tavares, and Auston Matthews.
However, Burke thinks all the players are similar in skillset and all will make over $10 million next season. With that, Burke thinks Toronto should have spent their money on defense and goalies, rather than four skilled forwards.
“Like I said at the time, this model is not going to work, back when they signed Nylander to the first (time) and made the big four, the big four. Right on the spot, on that day I said this is a mistake and I have been vocal about it since, and I stand by that. I think a cap model, even going up $5 million in the cap, it’s still not workable for me, no other team has four forwards, four similar forwards locked up in pure skill positions. I think they still have to solve a problem,” Burke said.
Blowing up the core four has been a popular take from Maple Leafs fans and Burke agrees that it is time to move on.
Marner Wants to Stay in Toronto
After the Maple Leafs were eliminated in the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs, Marner was vocal in his desire to stay in Toronto and sign an extension with the team.
“That would be a goal,” Marner said on May 6. “I’ve expressed my love for this place, this city. Obviously, I’ve grown up here. We’ll start thinking about that now and try to figure something out.”
Marner was drafted fourth overall by Toronto in the 2015 NHL draft. He’s played in 576 regular season games recording 194 goals and 445 assists for 639 points. This past season, Marner recorded 26 goals and 59 assists for 85 points in 69 games.
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