Ex-Leafs GM Cliff Fletcher keeps it 100% real about Toronto's Stanley Cup contending chances in post-Mitch Marner era

Former Toronto Maple Leafs manager Cliff Fletcher shared his thoughts on the team's chances of contending for the Stanley Cup following Mitch Marner's departure.

Marner was dealt to the Vegas Golden Knights in a sign-and-trade deal on July 1. Though the Leafs remain a strong playoff contender, replacing Marner's production, especially on the power play, remains a significant challenge for the club.

In an interview with the Toronto Sun, Fletcher stressed that it will be a tough time for the Maple Leafs to find a suitable replacement for Marner:

“In my own mind, I second-guess everything going on around the league like any other fan or media member,” he said. “It’ll be a challenging time for them. Mitch Marner is one of the best players in the NHL. He wasn’t coming back and it’s up to us now — Brad Treliving and his crew — to find a way to get around it.

Fletcher added:

“I have so much respect for the current organization that I’m sure they will recover and go back to being one of the best teams in the league.”

While it will take some time to find a comparable replacement for Marner, the Leafs will heavily rely on other players like Auston Matthews, Morgan Rielly and Matthew Knies to fill the void.

Meanwhile, Mitch Marner subsequently signed an eight-year, $96 million contract with the Golden Knights. He had a nine-year stint with the Maple Leafs, recording three 90-point seasons and a career-high 102-point season with them last term.

NHL analyst expects Maple Leafs' Matthew Kniews to step up as Mitch Marner's replacement

NHL analyst Mike Rupp expressed his expectation for forward Matthew Knies to elevate his game to potentially fill some of the void left by Mitch Marner.

Rupp highlighted that securing Knies to an extension was a significant move, given his potential.

"A lot of it might be up to Matthew Knies, right? I mean, he is on the rise. They (Leafs) gave him the new six-year deal this offseason that, you know, I thought (was) a really quality price," Rupp said. "To get him at six years less than eight, when he has real, true superstar potential. I think that was a huge, huge signing for them.

The Toronto Maple Leafs signed Knies to a six-year, $46.5 million contract extension on July 1. The 22-year-old has a career-high 58 points through 29 goals and as many assists in 78 games last season. He notched seven points through five goals and two assists in 13 playoff games.