Mitch Marner’s NHL Future: Which Surprising Team Could Win the Ultimate Free Agency Battle?
Detroit Red Wings
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.
Florida Panthers
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.
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