3 days ago
SIMMONS: Wanna bet that Vegas is the landing spot for Mitch Marner?
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At first glance, the Golden Knights don't appear to have the cap space available to work in Marner's favour. But this is where George McPhee and Kelly McCrimmon, the club president and general manager, enter the process, already having earned a reputation for making the financially impossible possible. They have a history of doing what other teams can't do or won't do.
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The future of star defenceman Pietrangelo already is in question regarding the Golden Knights future. There are those in front offices around the NHL who wouldn't be the least bit surprised if Pietrangelo has played his last NHL game — and that the long-term injury relief from the final two years of his $10 million per year contract would put the Knights in position to be able to afford Marner.
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Pietrangelo, who was named to Canada's 4-Nations Face-Off team and is expected to be part of the coming Olympic team, pulled out of the tournament last February to get himself ready for playoffs. He has missed 29 games over the past two seasons to injury and was thought to be playing hurt in the playoffs. He turns 36 next season.
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What can the Leafs get for Marner in a sign-and-trade of sorts? Next to nothing, I am told.
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They might be able to get a third- or fourth-round draft pick by dealing his rights before July 1, but the question remains: Is it worth doing a possible sign-and-trade for Marner's benefit, doing him a favour, giving him an extra year on his contract if negotiated that way, when there is next to no benefit for the Leafs themselves?
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This is part of the equation that remains hard to figure and the relationships between the Marner camp and the Leafs has been rather prickly at times. Marner negotiated a no-movement clause with the Leafs with the previous general manager, was later seemingly unhappy about how he was being treated in the market and how he was being singled out for Maple Leafs blame.
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And yet, when the Leafs provided him with the opportunity to leave and play elsewhere, on a contender in Carolina, he said no, he wouldn't consider it. This was Marner playing both sides against the middle, which has worked in his favour, but not necessarily for the Leafs.
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If he hits free agency, there is little doubt that young hopeful teams such as San Jose, Columbus, Chicago and Anaheim — all with money to spend — will be bidding on Marner. And others — maybe Utah, maybe Detroit, maybe Pittsburgh — will be in the process as well. And probably a semi-contender like Los Angeles might get involved, as would Tampa Bay, where coach Jon Cooper is a huge Marner fan.
