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Mitch Marner: no, just because he’s a winger doesn’t mean the Habs should forget him
Félix Forget
Mitch Marner: no, just because he’s a winger doesn’t mean the Habs should forget him
Credit: Getty Images
Mitch Marner will most likely be free as a bird on July 1. The Maple Leafs forward, who has just seen his team slip out of the playoffs once again, was loudly booed by his own fans during his last game in the team colors.

Not exactly the best way to convince a budding free agent to stay.

The question, then, is where Marner will end up. He’s going to be the most sought-after free agent on the market… and he’s going to sign for a lot of money.

In Montreal, we know that the club is looking for offensive punch. But Jonathan Bernier, writing for TVA Sports, doesn’t see the Habs being interested, not least because Marner isn’t a center.

And we know how much the sacrosanct second center is needed in Montreal.

But in my opinion, this argument isn’t really an argument at all, for one simple reason: Marner is one of the few wingers who can almost act as a center. He’s an excellent playmaker and very responsible defensively.

I’m not saying that Kent Hughes should go all-in on Marner, far from it: he probably needs to go to a market where there’s less pressure, and he can forget about that in Montreal. That said, the club needs offensive punch, and if it’s going to come from the wing, so be it.

As Jeff Gorton said in his end-of-season press briefing, the Habs’ solution doesn’t have to come from a center. It may also involve a winger who can take charge.

Because if the club absolutely wants a center, it won’t have an option of Marner’s caliber. Brian Wilde is right when he says that John Tavares is one of the Habs’ best options… and he’s nowhere near Marner’s caliber.

I’ll say it again: I don’t see Marner getting along with the Habs. That said, I don’t see him signing with the Habs because I see him preferring a lower-pressure environment and because I don’t see Kent Hughes offering him $13-14 million a year.

But no, the fact that he’s a winger shouldn’t enter into the equation… because it’s much more complex than that.


Overtime

– Do you agree?

– Auston Matthews has been injured all season. [NHL.com]

– Montreal CF locker room echoes.

– Indeed.

– He becomes easier to trade.

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