NHL Rumors: Insider shoots down Golden Knights as 'leading contender' for Mitch Marner, links $17,700,000 Panthers superstar instead

Mitch Marner is unlikely to return to the Toronto Maple Leafs and will probably end up having quite a few suitors. His foray into free agency comes on the back of a 100-point campaign.

With how things ended in Toronto, a reunion after nine seasons is probably not happening, opening the door for teams to sign a winger who is capable of carrying a scoring load for a title contender.

Hockey insider Aaron Korolnek said on First Up (11:22) that the Vegas Golden Knights, though they've been linked to Marner, are not heading up the chase for the forward:

"I certainly can't call them the leading contender. My understanding of that was that there might have been some talks, but I don't think they really went too far. They certainly weren't as tangible as the Carolina talks that we've reported on back at the deadline time."

He said he believes there will be "a whole bunch of teams" who will try their best to sign the forward and make it happen despite potential salary cap issues. He added:

"There are a lot of teams out there with money to spend, but one of the teams that doesn't necessarily have that money, as we're talking right now, is Vegas."

Korolnek said there is still time for them to clear up space and money for Marner, but he thinks Vegas might go after Sam Bennett, a cheaper option coming off a $17.7 million contract than Marner. The Florida Panthers star is also hitting free agency.

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Mitch Marner's next team odds revealed

The Chicago Blackhawks might be interested in Mitch Marner despite finishing with the second-fewest points in the league last year. According to Yahoo! Sports, they're the early favorite to sign him.

Mitch Marner could be signed by any team (Imagn)

That, along with a return to the Maple Leafs, has the best odds, with the Carolina Hurricanes coming in next. The full odds are:

• Chicago Blackhawks +430
• Toronto Maple Leafs +430
• Carolina Hurricanes +470
• Vegas Golden Knights +500
• Anaheim Ducks +750
• Los Angeles Kings +850
• Florida Panthers +1900
• Utah Mammoth +1900
• Pittsburgh Penguins +2600
• Columbus Blue Jackets +2900
• Philadelphia Flyers +3500
• New York Islanders +3500
• Detroit Red Wings +3500
• San Jose Sharks +3500
• Tampa Bay Lightning +6000
• Ottawa Senators +6000
• Winnipeg Jets +6000

As Aaron Korolnek mentioned, a lot of teams figure to be in on Marner if he hits free agency officially.