The point is it is not worth finding a trade partner when looking at the options. Marner is better than hall and younger this will probably get a 1st, a prospect and a middling forward whether Marner resigns or not. This is not what Toronto needs as thus I don't see trade that makes sense both sides.

Well they certainly need something

Horrible

For $10.9m or less…

Skjei+Pesce
Zadorov+Roy
Kulikov+Tanev+Toffoli
Forbort+Montour+Duclair

…there are infinite combinations.

You're looking to dump salary so you aren't getting value for Marner, period. It sucks but it is what it is in a cap world.

A rebuild/retool. Not some overpaid rental that would make out team worse for the plan. The future not now

No, Keller absolutely has more value than Marner right now due to cap hit and term. The only one that is realistic in terms of value here is the Winnipeg one

A very easy no from the Avs who are in a bit of a tight cap situation of their own.

OTT would not do Bath for marner 1 for 1. they decline

Both Skjej and Pesce are both predicted to demand about 7 million each in free agency. 7+7 =14 and both Skjej and Pesce will produce 60 point combined, our forward core will still lose 60+ plus points that needs to be replaced because after Marner whom will fill out the lines with Matthews, Tavares and Nylander. That's 3 spots missing now. Zadorov is a bottom pairing dman that many predict will command like 5 million Roy will command 6+. Once again I bring up he forward and the points between those two would be 50 point even less offense. Will kulikov, Tanev whom will both be about 4 million so 8 plus toffoli at about 5.5-7 million be good enough defensively. Kulikov is a bottom pairing and Tanev is aging quickly and not as good as he was in his prime. So top 4 next year maybe but not reliable enough for top 2. Montour will command 7+ million. Duclair is a hot and cold player whom will command Bertuzzi type money and whom do you get, the player who thrived in Tampa or the players struggled to produce offense for many years prior. Duclair is at best 60 points and that's if he thrives with us. I would never want to put all our eggs in duclair. So once again none of the options legitimately solve the biggest issue which is replacing the offense lost. You think a top 6 of knies, Matthews Nylander, Robertson, Tavares, duclair will be able to keep the power play and offense to a top 10/15 in the league. That's a lot of ifs.

Also can you guarantee they will all sign with us. There are 31 other teams looking to sign said players. Guaranteed Florida will offer 6.5 million at a minimum to resign ditto to both Pesce and Skjej out of Carolina. Good chance they are offered more. Guaranteed most of said players will resign with their current teams considering the cap increase.

Skjei ~$6.5m x 7
Pesce ~$4-5m x 4 (or maybe one-year)
Montour ~$6.5m x 7
Zadorov ~$4m x 2
Roy ~$5m x 5

(Roughly)

Point is that you could find two good players for Marner’s AAV. Maybe three.

Once again if Montour signs at 6.5 it will be with the Panthers. Peace by many experts have predicted his salary to be around the 7 million mark. Zadorov is not worth 4 million for what he would provide. He would be identical to Edmundson. Roy is expected to get 6+ million by most experts. At 5 million he resigns with LA. And also as was written who replaced the offense lost from Marner. Getting a rid of Marner will have a huge ripple effect on Nylander and Matthews because Tavares can no longer carry play as well. He can still be good for 60 to 70 points but needs talent on the line to get to that. Losing Marner means we need Matthews and Nylander and who replaces Marner and his 95+ plus. In half of his years he has average 95 points and in all those years, he was injured for a couple games at least. If he played them he was pacing over 100 points. We need to also consider the offense lost by getting a rid of Marner.

Are you playing to score or playing to win?

Playing to win. But looking at this team and looking at all teams that wins it takes both defensive and offensive depth to win. Getting rid of Marner and taking out 100 points without even an adequate replacement significantly hurts. Look at the blue jays in jays they trade away 5 of their consistent offensive performers for defense. Now they can't score any runs and need to hope pitching and defense can carry them but it only goes far. Ditto for the Islanders whom outside of barzal and horvat struggle to have any other good offensive performers. Carolina before this year all experts agreed that the reason the lose is not because of defense but because not enough offense. What did Carolina do they acquired Guentzel. Vegas has Eichel, barbashev, Reilly, marchessault, stone, Stephenson, karlsson all capable of 55+ points a year.

I never said we need another 100 points Marner but we need scoring depth to be improved if we get rid of Marner meaning a forward capable of 60-80 points. Marner is a forward that produces 95+. I am merely pointing out the fact that its defense, offense and goaltending that win in the playoffs. Colorado had Rantanen, MacKinnon, kadri, lehknonen, etc... when they won. Tampa Bay has Kucherov, stamkos, points, killorn,palat plus a 40+ point capable 3 rd line with Coleman, Goodrow, etc....