Insider reveals Chicago Blackhawks making Mitch Marner free agency a priority
The Chicago Blackhawks are a team on the rise with Connor Bedard, and now they may be looking to pair him with star winger Mitch Marner.
Mitch Marner's situation in Toronto has been one to monitor from the moment the team lost to the Boston Bruins in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, and now his future is looking clearer. With the regular season approaching, all signs point to Marner heading into the 2024/25 campaign as a pending free agent, and if he does get to the summer of 2025, teams will be lining up to give him a big deal.
According to reporter Mark Lazarus, there's one team that may be more motivated than others, with the Chicago Blackhawks set to make him a huge offer to pair him with rising star Connor Bedard.
"Do you expect the Hawks to be more aggressive in free agency next year, maybe even trading away important picks for players?" Lazerus was asked.
"The fact that Davidson was ready to trade next year's unprotected top pick (almost certainly a top-10 pick) to Columbus for the ability to draft Demidov is as clear a sign as any that the Blackhawks are ready to stop living years in the future. Could they deal away future picks for players? It's possible, but unlikely. Trades like that are rare, and it's not as if they'll be in the rental market at the trade deadline. But perhaps they look for this generation's Brian Campbell and/or Marian Hossa next summer — the player who signals to both the team and its fans that it's time to start taking the Blackhawks seriously again.
With Mitch Marner, Brock Boeser, Nikolaj Ehlers, John Tavares, Shea Theodore and Aaron Ekblad among the players slated for unrestricted free agency next summer, just as players such as Oliver Moore and Levshunov are ready to break into the NHL for good, things could get interesting very quickly," wrote Lazerus in response.
"The fact that Davidson was ready to trade next year's unprotected top pick (almost certainly a top-10 pick) to Columbus for the ability to draft Demidov is as clear a sign as any that the Blackhawks are ready to stop living years in the future. Could they deal away future picks for players? It's possible, but unlikely. Trades like that are rare, and it's not as if they'll be in the rental market at the trade deadline. But perhaps they look for this generation's Brian Campbell and/or Marian Hossa next summer — the player who signals to both the team and its fans that it's time to start taking the Blackhawks seriously again.
With Mitch Marner, Brock Boeser, Nikolaj Ehlers, John Tavares, Shea Theodore and Aaron Ekblad among the players slated for unrestricted free agency next summer, just as players such as Oliver Moore and Levshunov are ready to break into the NHL for good, things could get interesting very quickly," wrote Lazerus in response.
There were reports linking the Blackhawks to a trade with Marner earlier this off-season, but after adding several veterans and Artyom Levshunov in the 2024 NHL Draft, their future is becoming clearer. Barring a shock season, they are be set to have another top pick in the 2025 NHL Draft, and if they can add Marner and another free agent, this could be a team pushing for the playoffs, so keep an eye on this situation moving forward.
Source: Maple Leafs Daily
Reporter suggests Central Division team making Mitch Marner a priority
Reporter suggests Central Division team making Mitch Marner a priority
| POLL | ||
28 JUILLET | 139 ANSWERS Insider reveals Chicago Blackhawks making Mitch Marner free agency a priority Would the Blackhawks be a playoff team if they could add Mitch Marner in free agency? | ||
| Yes | 75 | 54 % |
| No | 64 | 46 % |
| LIST OF POLLS | ||
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