Predators Forward Pushed for Mitch Marner Trade

Before taking massive swings in free agency, a key Nashville Predators forward tried to push for a blockbuster trade with the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Apr 11, 2024; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Maple Leafs forward Mitchell Marner (16) plays the puck against the New Jersey Devils in the third period at Scotiabank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-USA TODAY Sports / Dan Hamilton-USA TODAY Sports

The Nashville Predators arguably made the most noise on the opening day of free agency. In a matter of minutes, they signed Steven Stamkos and Jonathan Marchessault from franchises with which they became icons. The Predators followed that up by bringing in defenseman Brady Skjei on a lucrative contract.

You can argue one way or the other if the Predators “won” the early stages of free agency, but they certainly took the biggest swings. According to a report from Nick Kypreos in the Toronto Star, the waves made by the Predators in free agency almost went in a different direction.

Kypreos states that former Toronto Maple Leafs forward Ryan O’Reilly pushed for the Predators to try and trade for Mitch Marner. O’Reilly and Marner were teammates for a handful of games at the end of the 2022-23 season in Toronto, and Marner’s future with the Maple Leafs has turned extremely foggy.

After leaving the Maple Leafs, O’Reilly signed a four-year deal with the Predators. Kypreos didn’t go into further detail about the potential Marner trade, but the links between the teams have been strong since the beginning of the offseason.

When rumors began to swirl about Marner’s possible departure, the Predators were among the top teams to watch. While the Maple Leafs still retain the skilled forward, the Predators are likely out as a destination after their spending spree.

In 576 career games with the Maple Leafs, Marner has scored 194 goals and 4445 assists for 639 total points. It seems inevitable at this point that the Maple Leafs will trade one of their “Core Four” members, and Marner is the leader of the pack.

Despite being the most productive of the bunch in the playoffs, the Marner and the Maple Leafs have grown a reputation as playoff chokers.

Make sure you bookmark Breakaway OnSI for the latest news, exclusive interviews, recruiting coverage, and more! 

• Predicting Next Captain for Six NHL Teams
• Veteran Defenseman Brings Valuable Experience to Blackhawks
• Utah Hockey Club Starts Offseason with Bold Moves
• Best Players Still Available in NHL Free Agency
• Losers of First Week of NHL Free Agency