NHL Rumors: Analyst hypothesizes shock Mitch Marner trade involving Islanders

Will Mitch Marner be traded by the Toronto Maple Leafs? As the NHL preseason kicks off in three weeks, rumors and speculation about potential trades continue to circulate.

The Maple Leafs have emerged as a prominent subject of discussion in the rumor mill this offseason. There were rumors about Mitch Marner's trade, and an NHL analyst, Nick Ashbourne, wrote an article for Yahoo Sports where he discussed a hypothetical scenario of Marner's trade to the New York Islanders.

Ashbourne discussed what the trade would be like in terms of trade packages and how it could turn out to be a win-win situation for both parties. The Islanders are currently in need of an offensive player, and a player of Marner's caliber would fit in perfectly upfront.

Bringing in Marner, on the other hand, would require the Islanders to delve deep into their pockets. The trade package could involve defensemen Noah Dobson and Alexander Romanov, and to make the salary work, right winger Kyle Palmieri could also be involved.

The addition will have an upgrade to the Leafs' D line. However, this is only a hypothetical scenario, and it remains to be seen whether it could become a reality. Marner is a Leaf for the time being.

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NHL Insider makes bold prediction on Mitch Marner's next contract

Last week, the Maple Leafs successfully inked a brief yet impactful four-year agreement, valued at $53 million, with their star forward Auston Matthews. The new deal would have Matthews wearing the Leafs uniform until the 2027-28 season.

With an annual salary of $13.25 million, Matthews is going to be the highest-paid athlete in the entire league when the 2024-25 season commences. Following the extension, the focus has now shifted to Mitch Marner.

NHL Insider Elliotte Friedman discussed Marner's contract situation and speculated that Matthews' new extension would add some weight to Marner's contract.

According to Spotrac, Marner signed a six-year, $65,418,000 contract with the Maple Leafs in 2019. His contract continues until the 2024-25 season, with a cap hit of $10,903,000. For the 2023-24 season, Marner will earn $8,000,000 in salary.