Mitch Marner: Golden Knights to watch, says Elliotte Friedman

Over the past few years, the Golden Knights have built up a serious reputation as a team that likes to take the big shot. Whether it’s Jack Eichel, Mark Stone or Tomas Hertl, to name but a few, the Knights aren’t afraid to go after big names.

And that doesn’t just make people happy around the league.

This summer, though, the Knights are so tight on money that it seems unlikely they’ll go after another big name.

But…

According to Elliotte Friedman, who was on Leafs Morning Take this morning, there are teams across the league wondering if Vegas might try to pick up… Mitch Marner.

Elliotte Friedman on Mitch Marner: ‘A lot of people suspect that Vegas will be around it ‘ https://t.co/NcrO2xL63I

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Friedman mentions a potential deal involving Shea Theodore and Logan Thompson as a possible basic scheme. You’d think it would be a bit more complex, but it would help balance salaries and the Maple Leafs could improve on the blue line.

That said, Marner earns close to $11 million, which is less than Theodore’s $5.2 million salary and Thompson’s less than $1 million. If such a swap were to materialize, it’s safe to assume that Jonathan Marchessault would be guaranteed a move away from Vegas.

Theodore and Thompson, like Marner, are a year away from complete autonomy. Brad Treliving would therefore have to arrange to sign them if he acquired them… or agree to trade Marner for rental players, which seems rather unlikely.

It’ll be something to keep an eye on, but if Marner were to land in Vegas, I have a feeling the Knights wouldn’t be helping their ratings. But if the opportunity arises to pick up a top player…

Extension

Note, however, that according to Friedman, the most likely scenario is for Marner to spend the final year of his contract in Toronto and test the autonomy market in a year’s time.