Mitch Marner Rumors: 4 Teams May Have Upper Hand on Maple Leafs Star

Mitch Marner Rumors: 4 Teams May Have Upper Hand on Maple Leafs Star originally appeared on Athlon Sports.

Toronto Maple Leafs star Mitch Marner is expected to be the hottest name on the open market this summer. Marner is projected to receive a massive payday in free agency, and this could see a bidding war ensue for his services.

But due to the high price tag that he will command, there may only be a few teams that are truly serious in the pursuit. Marner can check a lot of boxes for interested teams, but only one will be able to win the sweepstakes.

According to NHL insider James Mirtle of The Athletic, there may be four teams that could have an upper hand in the free agency. The Anaheim Ducks, Chicago Blackhawks, San Jose Sharks, and Utah Mammoth are expected to offer Marner the highest bids.

Each of these teams is seen as a lower-tiered team, and it remains unknown if Marner would be willing to play for a non-contender. But out of these four, the Ducks and Mammoth are likely closest to becoming a contender.

Anaheim brought in veteran Joel Quenneville to be the new head coach, giving this team more credibility. The Ducks also traded for star Chris Kreider a few days ago, offering more firepower to the roster.

Toronto Maple Leafs forward Mitchell Marner (16) stretches during warm up before a game against the Vancouver Canucks at Rogers Arena.Bob Frid-Imagn Images

Utah has a star in Clayton Keller, who could pair well with Marner. The Mammoth is also entering its inaugural season, so Marner could be part of a new historic start in Utah.

When free agency opens, there could be a run on Marner. The star forward isn’t likely to stay in Toronto and will be heading elsewhere this summer.

This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 14, 2025, where it first appeared.

Mitch Marner Rumors: 4 Teams May Have Upper Hand on Maple Leafs Star

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