The Toronto Maple Leafs almost certainly will have to replace Mitch Marner.
Marner is expected to leave in free agency for the biggest payday ever received by a winger.
The Daily Faceoff predicts a shocker: They have the Maple Leafs signing Brad Marchand as the replacement for Marner.
Marchand is a Boston Bruins legend who went to the Florida Panthers at the trade deadline, then made massive plays in the postseason en route to the Stanley Cup.
“It’s a virtual certainty that Marner’s tenure with Toronto ends at nine seasons,” The Daily Faceoff’s Matt Larkin wrote. “The Leafs will need to replace him with a top-six winger. Nikolaj Ehlers might be a closer imitation to what Marner brings as a playmaker, but Ehlers has historically struggled in the postseason, just like Marner. If the Leafs want to get truly reactionary and conquer the intangibles that have held them back, they can bring in the man who has beaten them in five Game 7s since 2013. With a dominant postseason, Marchand showed he still has plenty to give at 37, and his swashbuckling swagger epitomizes what’s missing from the Leafs’ dressing room. Even former Marchand enemies like Bennett spoke so glowingly about Marchand’s inspirational impact on his teammates this spring.”
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The 37-year old Marchand has played 16 seasons in the NHL.
He has 424 career goals and 556 career assists (980 points).
Marchand also has 1,039 hits in his career.
The two-way grinder and scorer is a winning player who could help get the Maple Leafs over the hump.
Many reports indicate Marchand is a better than 50-50 chance to go back to Florida, but if he doesn’t, Toronto would be quite the destination.
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