The Toronto Maple Leafs’ famous Core Four is now down to three. In a stunning move, Mitch Marner is heading to Vegas in a sign-and-trade deal, leaving the Leafs scrambling to fill a massive hole in their lineup.
It’s not going to be easy. Marner wasn’t just good – he was a 100-point machine who could do it all. He played defense, helped on special teams, and made everyone around him better.
The Leafs already have one piece of the puzzle in place. Matthew Knies, their young star who just signed a hefty $7.75 million per year deal, is ready to step up.
At just 22, Knies put up impressive numbers last season – 29 goals and 29 assists in 78 games. But can he handle an even bigger role?
He’ll need help. The good news? There are some exciting options out there.
Jason Robertson might be the most interesting target. The Dallas Stars are in a tight spot with their salary cap, and Robertson – who’s scored an incredible 110 goals over the last three seasons – could be available. At just 25, he’s already hit the 40-goal mark twice.
Then there’s Martin Necas. He clicked instantly with Nathan MacKinnon in Colorado last year, putting up 28 points in just 30 games. Imagine what he could do alongside Auston Matthews.
Free agency brings another intriguing option: Nikolaj Ehlers. He’s been flying under the radar, playing less than 16 minutes per game but still managing to rack up 60+ points in each of the last two seasons. Give him more ice time in Toronto? Watch out.
Brock Boeser could be another solution. He just hit 40 goals last season, and while he might not be the playmaker Marner was, pairing his shot with Matthews could be deadly.
The Leafs don’t need to find one player to replace everything Marner did – that’s probably impossible. But with the right moves, they could actually end up with a deeper, more dangerous team.
The clock is ticking though. Free agency opens Tuesday at noon ET, and the Leafs can’t afford to wait around. The post-Marner era in Toronto starts now.
