Canucks Forward Emerges as Option to Replace Mitch Marner for Maple Leafs

Brad Treliving and the Maple Leafs will be getting some clarity from Mitch Marner and his camp over the next couple of weeks.

That clarity will be a franchise-defining moment and will finally allow the Maple Leafs to move forward with either a new plan or work out an extension for the 28-year-old.

Should Marner ultimately decide to sign somewhere else on or after July 1st, the Leafs will not have many options available to replace him via free agency.

They could go the trade route, but given the number of assets they gave up at the trade deadline to acquire Brandon Carlo and Scott Laughton, along with the almost $26M in cap space, a signing or two is the more plausible option.

According to The Fourth Period's Dave Pagnotta, Brock Boeser is a long shot to re-sign with the Canucks amid the turmoil the franchise went through this past season with Elias Pettersson and J.T. Miller.

The 28-year-old Boeser would barely replace half of Marner's 102 points based on his historical track record, but with a projected AAV of between $8.1M and $8.5M (Evolving Hockey and AFP Analytics projections), and a consistent ability to score at least 25 goals, Boeser would certainly be able to carry his weight alongside Auston Matthews and Matthew Knies.

Although he does come with injury concerns, Boeser would add an additional shooting threat on the Maple Leafs' power play, as well as more size to their top six. Additionally, the Minnesota native has tallied 23 points in 29 career playoff games - including 11 goals, which is just 2 less than Marner has in 70 career playoff games.