Breaking news- Maple Leafs on the verge sealing agreement to offload Superstar winger with club to get 4 club stars Worth $95 Million
There has been a constant buzz of rumors and trade proposals surrounding Toronto Maple Leafs’ superstar winger Mitch Marner potentially leaving Canada. These discussions have sparked various opinions and scenarios, with one of the latest being a trade proposition submitted by a PuckPedia user on PuckGM. This proposal sees the Maple Leafs finding a trade partner in the Vegas Golden Knights, who would help Toronto offload Marner as he nears the final season of his seven-year contract. Below are the details of the proposed trade, including the total length and value of the contracts involved:
Maple Leafs Receive:
– William Karlsson: Eight years, $47.2 million
– van Barbashev: Five years, $25 million
– Zach Whitecloud: Six years, $16.5 million
– Nicolas Hage: Three years, $6.9 million
Golden Knights Receive:
– Nicholas Robertson
– Timothy Liljegren
– Mitchell Marner
Rather than including the frequently mentioned Shea Theodore, this proposal is centered around the exchange of Marner and Karlsson. In addition to Karlsson, who inked a substantial eight-year, $47.2 million contract with Vegas in 2019, the Golden Knights would also send Ivan Barbashev to Toronto. Barbashev signed a five-year, $25 million deal with Vegas in June 2023, adding significant value to the transaction.
On the Maple Leafs’ side, to balance out the inclusion of Barbashev, Whitecloud, and Hage, they would send Timothy Liljegren and Nicholas Robertson to Vegas. Liljegren, a free-agent signee, recently signed a two-year, $6 million contract on June 30. Despite this new deal, there are indications that he could still be traded. Robertson, who has been extended a qualifying offer, is an unsigned restricted free agent and has expressed hesitancy in signing a contract extension with Toronto, as acknowledged by General Manager Brad Treliving on July 1.
Should this trade come to fruition, the Maple Leafs would acquire four contracts with a combined value of $95.5 million, reflecting the total value of the deals at the time they were signed.
Maple Leafs and Timothy Liljegren’s Trade Possibility
Despite signing an extension, Timothy Liljegren might still be on the move. According to TSN’s Chris Johnston, a trade for Liljegren is still a possibility. Speaking on “The Chris Johnston Show” on July 1, Johnston noted that even with the new contract, Liljegren’s future with the Maple Leafs isn’t set in stone.
“They are still going to sign some more depth-type players here in free agency. We’ll see if Timothy Liljegren maybe still gets traded,” Johnston commented. “I know he signed a two-year extension, but I don’t think you can entirely rule out a trade in his circumstance yet.”
Before securing his contract extension, Liljegren was frequently mentioned in trade rumors, particularly during the NHL draft, although no deal materialized. Johnston added fuel to these speculations on July 4, reiterating that a trade could still happen, especially given the Maple Leafs’ tight salary cap situation.
Jonas Siegel of The Athletic further supported this notion by reporting on June 30 that Liljegren’s new contract lacks any trade protection. This omission keeps the trade rumors alive. “Liljegren’s new contract has zero no-trade protection, according to the source. The Brad Treliving front office isn’t exactly enamored with Liljegren, not yet anyway,” Siegel reported.
Nick Robertson’s Uncertain Future in Toronto
On July 1, the Leafs extended a qualifying offer to Nick Robertson, turning him into a restricted free agent after completing his three-year, $2.39 million entry-level contract. Since being drafted 53rd overall in the 2019 NHL draft, Robertson has made 87 regular-season appearances, scoring 17 goals and assisting on 17 more, for a total of 34 points.
NHL insider Chris Johnston broke significant news on June 30, revealing that Robertson has requested a trade and has no plans to re-sign with the Leafs. General Manager Brad Treliving confirmed on July 1 that there have been some frustrations with Robertson but emphasized the player’s potential and the opportunities available to him in Toronto.
“I have certainly known that there was some frustration with Nick, but we look at Nick as an excellent player,” Treliving stated. “There is a great opportunity for Nick here. We need him to be a good player for us. I am not going to get into any speculation or public back-and-forth. We will just leave it at that and continue to move forward.”
During the 2023-24 season, Robertson netted 14 goals and 13 assists in 56 regular-season games. However, his performance in the playoffs fell short, as he failed to score a single point in six postseason outings. This discrepancy has added to the complexity of his future with the Maple Leafs, making his trade request a critical point of interest.
The ongoing discussions and potential trades highlight the dynamic nature of the Maple Leafs’ roster decisions and their impact on the team’s future. The proposed trade with the Golden Knights, involving high-profile players like Mitch Marner and William Karlsson, underscores the strategic moves both teams are willing to consider as they aim to optimize their lineups for the upcoming seasons.