Breaking: Maple Leafs Trade Pitch Lands Them $8.8 Million top Defenseman For Mitch Marner.

Mitch Marner, a forward with the Toronto Maple Leafs, has been connected to the Vegas Golden Knights as a potential trade target this summer.

Vegas lost important forwards Jonathan Marchessault and Chandler Stephenson in free agency, thus Marner has been connected to them in a trade to help boost their offense. PuckPedia’s new tool, PuckGM, allows users to design their own trades, and one user crafted a deal in which Marner went to Vegas for defenseman Alex Pietrangelo, along with other pieces.

The trade is a 2-for-2, which appears to be a good deal on paper. Pietrangelo would provide an upgrade on defense for Toronto, as well as some offense from Karlsson, who scored 60 points last season. He also has three years remaining on his contract, which earns him $5.9 million per season.

Meanwhile, Vegas gets a game-changer on offense in Marner, who can set up Mark Stone and Jack Eichel. The Golden Knights would also acquire Liljegren, a former first-round pick who can assist fill Pietrangelo’s void. He also signed a two-year, $6 million contract with Toronto this offseason, but he has been featured in trade rumors.

Pietrangelo has three years left on his deal that pays him $8.8 million per season, but like Marner, has a full no-movement clause so he would have to approve the trade.

With Marner entering the final year of his deal, he has been the subject of trade rumors as many thought Toronto would make a bold move after another first-round playoff exit.

Back on June 12, NHL insider Elliotte Friedman linked Marner to the Golden Knights, due to their surplus of defensemen which would intrigue Toronto.

“One of the things about Marner is that a lot of people believe Vegas will be involved,” Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman said on Leafs Morning Take. “Because Vegas is simply savvy, they surround any good player. So I got folks hypothesizing Shea Theodore and Logan Thompson’s deals with me, for example.”

The popular name was Shea Theodore, although one user on PuckPedia traded Pietrangelo rather than Theodore in the Marner deal. Thompson, meanwhile, was dealt to the Washington Capitals during the NHL draft.

Although Marner has been the subject of trade rumors, newly-hired Toronto Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube said he was excited to coach the skilled winger.

“He’s a character guy, a great person,” Berube said on June 29 after the 2024 NHL draft. “I’m looking forward to coaching him.”

However, Maple Leafs GM Brad Treliving wouldn’t give any update on any potential Marner trade following the draft.

“No update on Mitch,” Treliving said. “As I’ve said, I’m not going to do play-by-play. Mitch is a great player. We’re lucky to have him.”

Marner recorded 26 goals and 59 assists for 85 points in 69 games last season. The former fourth-overall pick has made it clear he wants to remain in Toronto for the foreseeable future.