Latest news with #MitchMarner
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Maple Leafs' Mitch Marner Linked to New Eye-Opening Landing Spot
Maple Leafs' Mitch Marner Linked to New Eye-Opening Landing Spot originally appeared on Athlon Sports. Toronto Maple Leafs star Mitch Marner will be the most talked-about name on the open market this offseason. With Marner entering into free agency, there will be no shortage of teams who are interested in signing the veteran. Advertisement However, due to the extreme price tag that it will take to sign him, only a handful of teams will likely be serious in the pursuit. Marner has the ability to help any team, and he isn't expected to return to Toronto. One team that could have its sights on landing Marner is the Anaheim Ducks. Anaheim took a leap in the standings this past season, but still fell short of breaking its long playoff drought. But with new head coach Joel Quenneville in town, Anaheim could become a destination spot. Patrick Present of The Hockey News has linked Marner with the Ducks heading into the summer. "He is potentially the most scrutinized player in the NHL and could benefit from playing in a lower-profile market such as Anaheim. The possibility of slotting Marner into a top line next to Leo Carlsson and Cutter Gauthier is as tantalizing an option as any, and the trio could become a dominant line for the foreseeable future, on both sides of the puck and in all three zones." Toronto Maple Leafs forward Mitch Marner (16) skates with the puck before game one of the second round of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs against the Florida Panthers at Scotiabank Arena. John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images Anaheim will have money to spend this summer, and could benefit from someone ike Marner. With a young supporting cast, the Ducks could vault into contender status if Marner were to join the team. Advertisement "A $13 million AAV would make Marner the highest-paid winger in the NHL, but he's the kind of player who rarely becomes available. With the amount of cap space the Ducks have, and if they are interested in adding him, he's the kind of player a team wouldn't regret offering what it took to get him to put pen to paper.", Present continued. The Ducks will be in direct competition for the services of Marner, and it remains to be seen if he would entertain a team like Anaheim. But if he were up to the challenge, it could be a strong situation for years to come. Related: Lightning Make Major Roster Announcement Amid Offseason Rumors Related: Panthers' Matthew Tkachuk Predicted Stanley Cup Final Rematch Last Year This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 2, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
9 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
SIMMONS: Beyond the Panthers and Oilers, who's better than the Toronto Maple Leafs?
A question to ask now that the noise has quieted, the president has lost his job and free agency of Mitch Marner and John Tavares remains but a month away: Which teams right now that are better than the Toronto Maple Leafs? You can start with the Eastern Conference champion Florida Panthers and then move to the Western Conference champion Edmonton Oilers. But after that, who? The Carolina Hurricanes? No. The Washington Capitals? No. The Tampa Bay Lightning? No. The New Jersey Devils? No. The Ottawa Senators? No. The Montreal Canadiens? No. You move to the Western Conference and you can't feel good about how the Dallas Stars played against the Oilers. You can't feel good about the President's Trophy winning Winnipeg Jets or the ease with which Vegas lost to Edmonton in the second round of the playoffs. St. Louis proved to be a tough out and they were. But the Kings of Los Angeles imploded as their best two players head into their 18th and 20th seasons. With Marner and Tavares or without the duo — and assuming the replacements put in place by general manager Brad Treliving will be reasonable and not necessarily equal — where exactly are the Leafs heading into the draft, free agency, and what will certainly be a busy off-season? What hurt wasn't that the Leafs lost in seven games to the defending champioin Panthers. Tampa and Carolina lasted just five games apiece against Florida. There's no certainty Edmonton will take them to seven games again — although I'm picking the Oilers to win. What hurt was how the Leafs lost. How they lost themselves in Games 5 and 7 at home. How they didn't compete in any meaningful way. How they seemed incapable of matching the intensity of the Panthers. Even as Carolina went down in five games, they fought right to the end. They weren't trampled on. They weren't embarrassed. But still, they lost in 5. Two games fewer than the Maple Leafs managed to last. Perspective doesn't come easily when a season ends so drastically. Perspective comes from stepping away, gauging the accomplishments, gauging the history of the franchise and trying to take stock of who the Leafs are and where they might be heading. It is now a very long 58 years since the Leafs won a Stanley Cup — back when the NHL only had six teams and it took only eight playoff wins to celebrate. But ask yourself this, if you are anything resembling a Leafs historian — or even a long-time fan — has there been one Leafs team since 1967 that should have won a Cup? Was there a Leafs team good enough? The answer is no. Roger Neilson coached some impressive Toronto teams in the 1970s, led by Darryl Sittler and Lanny McDonald up front, with Tiger Williams fighting everyone, with Borje Salming and Ian Turnbull on defence and Mike Palmateer in goal. The most points they had in a season was 92 in 1978. They made it to the third round of the playoffs that year, being handled rather easily by the Cup champion Montreal Canadiens. The Leafs finished sixth out of 18 teams in the league. They weren't legitimate Stanley Cup contenders. Pat Burns coached some impressive Toronto teams in the 1990s, led by Doug Gilmour, Dave Andreychuk and Wendel Clark up front, with a defence that included Dave Ellett, Sylvain Lefebvre and Jamie Macoun, and with Felix Potvin in goal. Twice in a row the Leafs advanced to the third round of the Stanley Cup playoffs. The first time they went seven games and lost to Wayne Gretzky and the Los Angeles Kings and, all these years later — 32 in fact — that loss still stings. The team, though, was thin when compared to the current Leafs. The club finished eighth overall in 1993, lost in the semifinals the following year in a rather upsetting one-sided series against Vancouver. Those were the highlight years for Burns. Close as they may have been, they were never the best team in hockey. In Pat Quinn's first year coaching the Leafs, the club made it to the Eastern Conference final and Toronto had the third-best record in the NHL. The team was led by Mats Sundin in 1999 with a rather ordinary group of forwards coming after him such as Steve Thomas, Sergei Berezin and Mike Johnson. The defence had character and characters such as Dmitri Yushkevich, Danny Markov, Sylvain Cote and Tomas Kaberle. Curtis Joseph was difference maker in goal. That team lost to a Buffalo Sabres team missing Dominik Hasek. That never should have happened. But it happened once again in Quinn's time coaching the Leafs. In 2002, the Leafs were deeper up front with Sundin, Alex Mogilny, Gary Roberts, Tie Domi, Darcy Tucker and Shayne Corson. It wasn't exactly a Stanley Cup-winning defence that included Jyrkki Lumme, Cory Cross and Karel Pilar — even with the Leafs having Kaberle and Bryan McCabe. Even with Joseph in goal, the Leafs couldn't overcome Paul Maurice's Carolina team in the Conference final. The two best Neilson teams, the two best Burns teams, the two best Quinn teams were all sound NHL competitors — just not teams ready or able to grab the Stanley Cup. The most points the Leafs have ever had in a season was 115 and that came with Sheldon Keefe coaching and Auston Matthews scoring 60 goals and winning the Hart Trophy. That was in 2022. That Leafs team lost Games 6 and 7 of the first round to the eventual Eastern Conference champion Tampa Bay Lightning. Keefe followed up the 115-point season with 111 in 2023. That year, the Leafs won first round against Tampa but lost rather quickly to Florida in five games. Now, here are the Leafs of Brad Treliving and Craig Berube. They have Matthews, William Nylander and Matthew Knies up front and who knows after that. They have the deepest blueline of the past half century, starting with Chris Tanev and Jake McCabe as a sound shut-down pairing. They have depth in goal with Anthony Stolarz and Joseph Woll, who may not individually compare to Joseph, Ed Belfour, Potvin or Palmateer, but they are sound as a pair, probably the best Toronto duo since Bernie Parent and Jacques Plante shared time in goal. A look at Brad Treliving's work two years into his tenure as Maple Leafs GM MAPLE LEAFS SNAP SHOTS: Brad Treliving, Craig Berube share new powers They have a coach Berube rather similar in style to Burns and similar in respect to Quinn. They have a 50-goal scorer, considering Matthews' average season, and a 40-goal scorer in Nylander — who in the East, other than Tampa, has anything to compare with that? No matter how the playoff series ended with Florida, this Leafs team had more elements than any of the previous squads of the past 58 years. Just how management turns the roster over with Marner likely leaving and Tavares growing one year older will be fascinating to observe. But they're not starting where Burns started or Quinn started, having to turn nothing into something. The booing happened at the end of Game 7 in Toronto. The firing of Brendan Shanahan happened not long after. The screaming from the bench and at the bench happened. The Maple Leafs unravelled on the ice, off the ice, at the worst of possible playoff moments and when opportunity was at its greatest. But when you look at the teams before them — coached by Neilson, Burns, Quinn and Keefe — this team still seems to have more. Right now, early June in today's NHL, we ask the question: Who is better than the Maple Leafs? The two teams who are playing for the Stanley Cup are better. After that, who else? ssimmons@
National Post
9 hours ago
- Business
- National Post
SIMMONS: Beyond the Panthers and Oilers, who's better than the Toronto Maple Leafs?
A question to ask now that the noise has quieted, the president has lost his job and free agency of Mitch Marner and John Tavares remains but a month away: Which teams right now that are better than the Toronto Maple Leafs? Article content Article content You can start with the Eastern Conference champion Florida Panthers and then move to the Western Conference champion Edmonton Oilers. Article content But after that, who? The Carolina Hurricanes? No. The Washington Capitals? No. The Tampa Bay Lightning? No. The New Jersey Devils? No. The Ottawa Senators? No. The Montreal Canadiens? No. Article content Article content You move to the Western Conference and you can't feel good about how the Dallas Stars played against the Oilers. You can't feel good about the President's Trophy winning Winnipeg Jets or the ease with which Vegas lost to Edmonton in the second round of the playoffs. Article content St. Louis proved to be a tough out and they were. But the Kings of Los Angeles imploded as their best two players head into their 18th and 20th seasons. Article content Article content With Marner and Tavares or without the duo — and assuming the replacements put in place by general manager Brad Treliving will be reasonable and not necessarily equal — where exactly are the Leafs heading into the draft, free agency, and what will certainly be a busy off-season? Article content What hurt wasn't that the Leafs lost in seven games to the defending champioin Panthers. Tampa and Carolina lasted just five games apiece against Florida. There's no certainty Edmonton will take them to seven games again — although I'm picking the Oilers to win. Article content What hurt was how the Leafs lost. How they lost themselves in Games 5 and 7 at home. How they didn't compete in any meaningful way. How they seemed incapable of matching the intensity of the Panthers. Article content Article content Even as Carolina went down in five games, they fought right to the end. They weren't trampled on. They weren't embarrassed. But still, they lost in 5. Two games fewer than the Maple Leafs managed to last. Article content Article content Perspective doesn't come easily when a season ends so drastically. Perspective comes from stepping away, gauging the accomplishments, gauging the history of the franchise and trying to take stock of who the Leafs are and where they might be heading. Article content Roger Neilson coached some impressive Toronto teams in the 1970s, led by Darryl Sittler and Lanny McDonald up front, with Tiger Williams fighting everyone, with Borje Salming and Ian Turnbull on defence and Mike Palmateer in goal. The most points they had in a season was 92 in 1978.
New York Times
14 hours ago
- Business
- New York Times
Mitch Marner NHL free agency sweepstakes: Ranking all 32 potential landing spots
The calendar has flipped to June, which means we're into NHL free agency talk in a big way for the next four weeks. And in a shallow year for UFAs, Mitch Marner is going to be the big fish that most of the league pursues on July 1. By my count, as many as 15 teams make sense at the moment for a Marner bid, and that may be a conservative number. Advertisement Taking into consideration teams' roster needs, cap situations and likelihood of pursuing him, as well as Marner's potential desired landing spots, here's my look at all 32 teams and how they will likely approach one of the biggest names making it to free agency since John Tavares (seven years at $11 million a season) in 2018 and Artemi Panarin (seven years at $11.6 million) in 2019. No contending team will have a bigger need for a star offensive player and as much cap space as the Hurricanes, who figure to be aggressive this July 1 given another disappointing exit. Marner turned down a trade to Carolina near the March 7 deadline, but with a no-movement clause and the fact that he was about to become a father, that made a lot of sense on the personal side. That situation hasn't dampened the Hurricanes' interest. But will Marner be interested if they are the highest bidder in free agency? One of the few playoff teams in a desirable market that definitely needs help up front, has cap space and will be aggressive in free agency. New GM Ken Holland has signaled he intends to use his cap space to put his team in a better position to finally advance further in the postseason. Marner feels like a perfect fit on a team that has such a strong defensive approach, and he knows coach Jim Hiller well from their time in Toronto. The Kings won't be the front-runner, but they're certainly in the mix. I hesitated to put Utah here, as Marner will most likely want to go to a contender and the Mammoth didn't even make the playoffs. (In fact, this group has qualified only once in the last 13 years, dating back to the Coyotes years.) But they're certainly well-positioned to take a big step given their youth movement and all their cap space. If charismatic new owner Ryan Smith can put on a good sell job, perhaps Marner decides to take a chance on an up-and-coming team rather than a sure thing? It certainly would be a quieter media environment out near the Wasatch Range. Advertisement They'd have to find a way to shed salary, but when has that ever been a problem for Kelly McCrimmon and friends? The ultimate big-move team feels like they'll find a way to be in on this one, and their bid would have the right ingredients of something Marner would be interested in. I've seen a lot of people connecting Marner to the Ducks, but they've been in the rebuilding phase for such a long time that I feel like this will be a tough sell for such a high-profile UFA. But they certainly have the need and the acres of cap space, so maybe they can put in a high bid and have a shot at winning him over. It was certainly a lost season in Boston this year, but do they try and pull a Capitals and retool quickly? Between David Pastrnak, Charlie McAvoy and Jeremy Swayman, they have a lot of strong pieces in place, so scorched earth doesn't seem like the way to go. It would be a bit of a heel turn for Marner, given they're such a big rival in the division, but I don't think we can rule it out entirely just on that basis. They certainly have the cap room after their big sell-off before the deadline. There's frustration building in Chicago as the rebuild stretches on. They'll certainly be in the mix with a massive bid, and Connor Bedard gives them one foundational piece to play with. The Blackhawks are still years away from making the playoffs, so they don't have to worry about the cap hit initially, which could allow them to put a $15 million-plus offer on the table without breaking a sweat. If Marner wants the most money, it could be here. But I don't expect that'll be the leading consideration, which drops them into this tier. After dealing away Mikko Rantanen, the Avs certainly have a big hole on RW. And playing with Nathan MacKinnon has to hold some appeal for Marner. Colorado's cap situation is complicated by having Gabriel Landeskog off LTIR, though they can make a Marner contract work with a few savvy moves. But are they willing to offer a big number after declining to give Rantanen $12 million — especially with Cale Makar up for a monster new contract in 2027? Advertisement Columbus was one of the biggest feel-good stories of the season, pushing to within two points of making the playoffs despite a roster barely above the floor and after dealing with an unthinkable tragedy in the death of Johnny Gaudreau. The Blue Jackets have a cannon-load of cap space and an intriguing youth movement, so maybe they do big here? It's a market UFAs don't always flock to, but that could start to change as they have more success. Steve Yzerman needs a big swing. The Red Wings' rebuild is now entering its eighth or ninth year, depending on where you mark the clock, and they could use another star or two to push them forward. They have the cap space to make this work and are still an iconic Original Six franchise, even after all the losing over the past decade. But the shine is off for free agents, and Marner would most likely look elsewhere for a better chance to win. Another popular choice in the rumor mill, but the Panthers' situation is somewhat more complicated than it seems at first glance. If they let Sam Bennett and Aaron Ekblad walk — which feels unlikely — they'd have the cap room but will have key holes, especially on defense. And no one on this team makes more than captain Aleksander Barkov's $10 million. Would Marner take less than market value to play for the Leafs' rivals? That would certainly add more spice to next year's Atlantic Division playoffs. Always a desirable market to go to, the Predators will have the cap room to make a bid. But after some high-profile misses in free agency last year and a brutal season on the ice, will they want to try again? And, more importantly, will Marner be willing to overlook their struggles and take a chance on a rebound? Another rebuilding club with tons of cap space and some intriguing young prospects, led by Macklin Celebrini, that could be a UFA draw. The Sharks have historically been a market players want to be in, too, and Marner is close with local legends Patrick Marleau and Joe Thornton. A long shot, perhaps, but a shot nonetheless. All of Joe Thornton and Patrick Marleau's children in one place 🥹😅 (via IG/patrickmarleau.12) — B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) March 29, 2025 Likely a spot Marner would want to be, and coach Jon Cooper has spoken glowingly about him in the past. But the cap gymnastics to make this happen feel tough. They're $7 million short of being able to fit in a $13 million addition; would they be willing to jettison a core piece to add on the wing, where they're already fairly deep? They're going to struggle to sign any marquee free agents with what's been going on there. Advertisement Despite their surprising showing this past season and some promise in goal, it's hard to see them being a draw given all the competition. I suspect Marner ends up in the U.S. on this deal, too. Obviously a desirable market, but they're loaded up front and very tight against the cap. Rantanen was their big bet on the wing. Just getting Evan Bouchard under the cap is going to be a challenge. And they have to keep their eye on Connor McDavid's bank-breaking extension for 2026, too. With a bunch of cap space opening up, the Wild will likely make a big UFA addition or two, but I suspect their targets to be more along the lines of Brock Nelson and Brock Boeser than Marner. They have a massive Kirill Kaprizov extension to be mindful of in 2026, too. A big bid on Marner doesn't fit with their offseason game plan. And, again, I don't expect Marner to stay in Canada. The Devils are going to be somewhat cap challenged after they sign RFA Luke Hughes. And they don't feel like a destination for Marner at this point, given the other options he'll have. Similar to the Devils, but with a weaker team on the ice with less upside. New GM Mathieu Darche has his work cut out for him cleaning up some of the mess he's been left. There are huge cap challenges here with RFAs K'Andre Miller and Will Cuylle, among others. They need to worry about being an offer-sheet target this summer. And find a way to shed salary. No pressure. As juicy a storyline as it would be, I don't see Marner going to the Leafs' provincial rival. Big-game hunting doesn't seem to be in the cards for the Flyers this offseason. Maybe in another year or two, as they do have interesting pieces coming. A reunion with Kyle Dubas and Jason Spezza would headline this one, but playing with Sidney Crosby might be the bigger draw for Marner. The problem is the Penguins appear years away from contention and don't feel like a realistic draw for marquee UFAs at the moment. Not a great fit given their on-ice struggles. They have the cap space, even after trying to make a big splash a year ago in free agency, but that might be their only plus point. Advertisement Going big on Marner doesn't feel like a fit for either side here, for a variety of reasons, including the fact he'll likely have other markets higher on his wish list. But GM Doug Armstrong likes to get aggressive, and Marner is friendly with Robert Thomas. The Blues can also free up the requested cap space, if needed, with Torey Krug destined for LTIR. It's certainly possible they could open enough cap space to try, especially if Elias Pettersson is on the move, but as Marner is looking to escape a high-pressure media environment, I wouldn't recommend this one. No offense to my home province. Their cap situation is a bit challenging here without significant surgery, so I'd be surprised to see this one line up. But they've been aggressive before, so maybe they throw their hat in the ring given Alex Ovechkin's big salary might be off the books in a year. Unfortunately for the Jets, their location is likely to work against them in this case. It certainly seems like Marner is ready to move on, based on what he's said publicly and what I've heard from behind the scenes. The only question is if the offers he wants don't materialize and if he decides to circle back with the Leafs after July 1. You look at the list above, and it's clear not many contenders are likely to be able to offer $13 million. Does that matter, in the end? Will he go to a Chicago or San Jose if they're the only ones that hit that mark? Or re-engage Toronto? If you pressed me, I'd put this at a 2 percent chance of happening.
Yahoo
20 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
London Knights celebrate 3rd Memorial Cup win
The London Knights are Memorial Cup champions for a third time beating their opponents in a 4-1 victory Sunday night in Rimouski, Que. The team won against the Medicine Hat Tigers in the Canadian Major Junior championship game with Easton Cowan becoming the first player since 1972 to lead the tournament in scoring in consecutive years. Cowan, who scored seven goals, was named MVP for the series. The Knights won the Memorial Cup in 2005 and 2016. They came close in 2024, losing by one point to the Saginaw Spirit. Cowan is currently a Toronto Maple Leafs prospect and is tied with Leafs right-winger Mitch Marner for the most Memorial Cup points in franchise history. London poured it on with three goals in the second period Sunday to take a commanding lead. London and Medicine Hat dominated their respective leagues en route to the Memorial Cup. At the moment, The Knights have 12 NHL draft picks.
