NHL insider and reporter James Mirtle of The Athletic speculates the Toronto Maple Leafs may trade Mitch Marner in a one-for-one deal for Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Mikhail Sergachev.
Marner is atop many trade bait boards entering the offseason as he enters the final year of the six-year $65.4 million deal he signed with the Maple Leafs in 2019. Since Toronto has been eliminated from the playoffs, Marner has been the subject of trade rumors, and Mirtle believes Tampa Bay is a dark horse team to land him and could deal Sergachev for him.
“Maybe something with the Lightning, who look like they could be movers and shakers here. It would be Sergachev,” Mirtle said on the JD Bunkis show on Sportsnet on June 26.
Sergachev has seven years left on the eight-year $68 million deal he signed on July 13, 2022. The Russian also doesn’t have any trade protection until July 1, so if Tampa Bay does pull the trigger on this mock deal, they will need to make it happen before July 1 without needing Sergachev to agree to the deal.
Last season with the Lightning, Sergachev skated in 34 games recording just 2 goals and 17 assists for 19 points. Sergachev broke his leg last season but before the injury was a key member of the 2020 and 2021 Stanley Cup-winning teams.
Insider Explains Why Maple Leafs Should Make That Trade
After Mirtle shared the mock trade, he said it’s a trade Toronto should make if it is something that is on the table.
The deal would give Toronto over $2 million in cap space and give them a true No. 1 defenseman in Sergachev with seven years left on his contract.
“You get a little bit of cap space, you get a defenseman, you hope that Sergachev rebounds, he didn’t have a great year but played hurt a lot of the year. I think the Lightning are looking at it, potentially they lose Stamkos, they are having a turning of the page there, and they want to see if they can get that team back to where they are contending and not just in that second tier,” Mirtle added.
For Tampa Bay, by adding Marner they would add an explosive offensive playmaker to add to their roster. Sergachev’s role is also diminished due to the team acquiring Ryan McDonagh and still having Victor Hedman and Erik Cernak.
Marner Wants to Remain With Maple Leafs
Although Marner has been the subject of trade rumors, he does have a full no-movement clause so he can deny any trade.
Following the Maple Leafs being eliminated by the playoffs, The Athletic’s Pierre LeBrun reported that Marner wants to remain in Toronto.
“At this point, the Marner camp led by veteran agent Darren Ferris is not working on a list of teams. They have no intention as of now of producing such a list. As far as the Marner camp is concerned, the star winger has one more year on his contract with the Leafs and intends to honor it,” LeBrun wrote.
“So as far as I can tell right this minute, this is all about what the Leafs come to Marner with this summer (if anything) — not the other way around. Marner holds most of the cards with his 100 percent no-move clause, which went into effect last July 1,” LeBrun continued.
Marner recorded 26 goals and 59 assists for 85 points in 69 games last year.
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