The Toronto Maple Leafs didn’t have the season they were looking to have once again, losing in the second round to the Florida Panthers in seven games.
It’s tough to blame the Maple Leafs too much, given the Panthers have dominated the Eastern Conference in recent years. The Panthers are the best team in hockey, and until the Maple Leafs or any other team can get past them, that will remain true.
But there’s more for Toronto to consider. With Mitch Marner being a free agent, and many expecting him to leave, the team will have to make a trade to replace him.
In a recent proposal that Cole Shelton of Heavy Sports considered, the Maple Leafs would find a decent replacement for Marner. The trade idea he spoke about would land William Karlsson of the Vegas Golden Knights for David Kampf, a 2027 second-round pick, and a 2025 third-round pick via Colorado.
“The proposed deal would be an intriguing one and one that makes sense for both sides. Toronto gets a legit top-six forward who can help replace the offense of Marner, while Vegas creates cap space to try and sign Marner in free agency.
“Toronto would acquire Karlsson, who has two years left on his eight-year, $47.2 million deal. The 32-year-old can be Toronto’s second-line center, which is a major need for Toronto this offseason,” he wrote.
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The Maple Leafs likely won’t be able to replace Marner, but Karlsson is a very good player.
He’s coming off a season where he posted just 29 points, so that’d be a major difference from Marner, who posted more than 100.
However, the veteran, who began his career with the Anaheim Ducks during the 2014-15 season, has extensive experience and boasts a career plus-minus of +133.
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