Something I seen today

Team: 2024-25 Toronto Maple Leafs

Initial Creation Date: May 17, 2024

Published: May 17, 2024

Salary Cap Mode: Basic

With only $775,000 of “in-season” salary left on his contract after July 1, it’s more than likely a Marner trade would be consummated after his signing bonus has been paid. That would rule out the possibility of Marner being traded ahead of the draft in June, but Toronto could still acquire a future first-round pick in a transaction.

I’ve been asked, it feels like a thousand times, what the return in a Marner trade could look like for the Leafs. Here’s an example of something I would pursue (assuming Marner agrees to waive his
Toronto would acquire a top four defenceman in Ferraro, a 6-foot-4, 204-pound power forward prospect in Bystedt and a first-round pick in 2025 that they do not currently have.

San Jose gets the best player in the trade in Marner, flip out Ferraro for Liljegren and add some potential scoring with Robertson. Liljegren and Roberston would have to be signed by Toronto before making this trade as both are restricted free agents.

Ferraro is signed through 2025-26 with a $3.25-million cap hit, while Bystedt is still on his entry-level deal making $950,000 (and would need another season in the minors). This deal would save Toronto over $9 million in cap

• Prospects Cowan, Steeves, Jacob Quillan and Fraser Minten will compete for a roster spot at training camp. If one of these players wins a job, the Leafs will have to make a decision on how to move out a body (I’d look to Jarnkrok).

• If a player such as Jarnkrok is moved out, the team would save over $1 million by inserting one of its prospects. Currently, this roster as laid out is a sliver over the cap.

• Finding a way to move Jarnkrok would then allow the team to add one more depth defenceman, such as serviceable veteran right-shot Josh Brown (6-foot-5, 217 pounds), who played in Arizona last season.