The 4 Highest Bidders For Mitch Marner Have Reportedly Been Identified

The Mitch Marner sweepstakes is going to be the biggest storyline to follow this summer as he is set to become arguably the most sought after free agent since Artemi Panarin hit the open market in 2019.

The Toronto Maple Leafs can always surprise at the 11th hour with an agreement, but it seems more and more likely that Marner's tenure with the Leafs has come to an abrupt end.

This summer is going to be interesting, because for the first time in awhile, almost every team is expected to be active in some way, shape, or form. You're going to see teams like Chicago and San Jose attempting to expedite their rebuilds through the draft and free agency as they all carry a ton of cap space.

It's anyone's guess at this point on what Marner is going to do, but he will have several options. He can sign with contenders like Carolina or Florida, he can sign with playoff hopefuls like Los Angeles, or he can chase the bag and sign with a rebuilding team looking to take a huge step forward, according to a recent report from James Mirtle of The Athletic.

Mirtle identified Chicago, San Jose, Utah, and Anaheim as the likeliest destinations that will throw the most money towards Marner. It is very possible that, should Marner choose one of the aforementioned teams, he will become the highest paid player in the NHL, surpassing Leon Draisaitl's $14 million AAV.

Market value will have a drastic impact on this year's crop of free agents and primarily with Marner. With such a shallow list of high quality players available on July 1st, teams will spend as much as they possibly can to sign the best player available.

The trickle down effect will be interesting to follow as the free agents in tiers B and C should see some effect from the Marner sweepstakes. That is where the Maple Leafs will probably be doing most of their digging as they look to add quality depth all throughout their lineup with a little more cap to burn than in previous seasons.