Maple Leafs Rumors: We Can Eliminate 6 Teams From the Mitch Marner Chase

Marner will not be heading to any team in Canada if he leaves the Leafs

The rumors are flying fast and furious about where Mitch Marner could land in free agency if he leaves the Toronto Maple Leafs this summer. Insider Pierre LeBrun of TSN said this week that he believes the Anaheim Ducks, Detroit Red Wings, Chicago Blackhawks, and Los Angeles Kings are among the suitors, while Marner himself, LeBrun feels, could have interest in the Florida Panthers and the Vegas Golden Knights.

You'll note one thing in common about all of those potential destinations: All of them are located south of the Canada/US border. And that's something that fellow insider Anthony Di Marco has indicated—if Marner leaves Toronto (and it's now almost certain that he will), it won't be for anywhere in his home country.

As I wrote about a few weeks back, expect the #Flames to look at all top Free Agents this summer.

One would assume that Mitch Marner will be one of them but, speaking with one executive, there is a belief that he will not want to play in Canada should he leave TO.@DailyFaceoff
— Anthony Di Marco (@ADiMarco25) May 21, 2025

Di Marco says that an NHL executive told him that there's "a belief that (Marner) will not want to play in Canada" if he bolts the Leafs.

Report: Marner will not be heading to any team in Canada if he leaves the Leafs

So cross off the list (from West to East) the Vancouver Canucks, Calgary Flames, Edmonton Oilers, Winnipeg Jets, Ottawa Senators and Montreal Canadiens. Of those six, only two have the proper cap space to even attempt to sign Marner at his projected $14 million: the Flames (with about $28 million available to them), and the Jets with $26.4M (but they have a boatload of their own free agents to re-sign).

The Canadiens are projected by PuckPedia to have only $6 million, the Senators $16.6M, Edmonton $12M and Vancouver $14M.

Whether it's to get away from the intense media scrutiny in Canadian markets, looking for a team poised to win a Stanely Cup, or a geographical/weather thing, it sounds like Marner will be taking his talents to the U.S.

The 28-year-old cracked the 100-point barrier this season, and is regularly in the 90s in full seasons, but his playoff track record is more spotty, with just 13 goals and 63 points in 70 postseason games.