What if the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Oilers Made a Core-Altering  ?

The Toronto Maple Leafs and Edmonton Oilers are considering a trade that would surprise hockey fans while also significantly improving both clubs.

Forward Mitch Marner of the Toronto Maple Leafs is currently the subject of rumors, as many believe he will be dealt this offseason. Fans of the Oilers will probably be just as frustrated as those of the Leafs if they are unable to win the Stanley Cup. So could each club change their finest wingers to change their core?

There hasn’t been a more reliable winger in hockey over the previous six seasons than Marner. Every season, he has averaged more than a point per game and has finished on track to score 100 points four times in a row. In addition, he plays on the team’s first penalty kill and has excellent defensive play—so outstanding that he was nominated for the Selke award the previous year.

Even with so many positive signs, the fan base still calls attention to his postseason shortcomings.

Marner has been under fire for his lack of postseason scoring. While he has only scored 50 points in 57 career playoff games, this is still a respectable total but not as high as it was in the regular season.

It’s not pretty, but the Leafs have won more than 60% of Marner’s minutes over the past three seasons, which may have something to do with his lack of offensive production in the playoffs. When Marner is on the ice, the other team scores a lot less than when he is off it.

Draisaitl for Marner: Is It Too Late?
Because of this, a lot of fans want the Leafs to start over by trading Marner. With whom, then, could the Leafs make a fresh start? Similar to Marner, a particular Edmonton Oilers player is scheduled to become a free agent in 2025.

And it’s at least possible that the Oilers are feeling the same way about their core duo as Leafs supporters, who are tired of waiting for the Matthews/Marner combination to connect in the postseason.

Draisaitl may have the finest deal in hockey, earning $8.5 million, but he deserves a massive raise when he becomes a free agent. In contrast, Marner earns $10.93 million year and is unlikely to receive a significant boost in 2025.

The Oilers and Leafs could easily make up the gap in salary because it is only a one-year differential. With Marner, the Oilers still have a superstar to play with Connor McDavid while getting a more defensive look at 5v5.

Due to the fact that Draisaitl is not a great defensive player, acquiring him is a no-brainer if you are the Leafs. It’s possible that the Leafs can succeed in the playoffs without having two defensively sound forwards and that Draisaitl’s more one-dimensional playmaking is what they need.

Both Draisaitl and Marner are excellent players, and while most would likely argue that Draisaitl is superior due to his raw scoring totals, Marner more than makes up for it with a far more comprehensive game. Marner is far more expensive and somewhat younger, but it could probably be worked out. The idea here is that the Leafs and Oilers would be in comparable circumstances if the Oilers lost, therefore a traditional “change of scenery” move may be ideal for…