Latest Mitch Marner Rumor Could Be Devastating For Maple Leafs Fans

Could Mitch Marner wind up with a Maple Leafs' heated rival?

The talk surrounding Mitch Marner's potential destination in free agency has been swirling hot and heavy around the NHL the past couple of months. But the latest rumor could turn out to be a devastating one for fans of the Toronto Maple Leafs.

According to insider Cam Robinson of Elite Prospects, the buzz going around the NHL Draft Combine last week was that Marner could be headed to the team that has squashed the Leafs' Cup dreams as much as any in recent years:

There’s real smoke that the Florida Panthers could be gearing up to make a run at Marner...
The Panthers, for their credit, are known for their aggressive swings. And this would certainly fall under that category... Marner moves out of the pressure cooker of Toronto to the sunny disposition of Florida with its tax-free status, immaculate vibes, and constant Cup contention.

The one problem with this scenario for the Panthers, as Robinson points out, is that they likely wouldn't have the cap space to also re-sign their own top pending UFA, Sam Bennett, without doing some other surgery on their roster. And top-pairing defenseman Aaron Ekblad is also in need of a new deal.

Could Mitch Marner be heading to the Florida Panthers in free agency?

The idea is an intriguing one for the Panthers, but as they're in the heat of battle in the Finals looking for a back-to-back Stanley Cup, it's hard to believe they'd give up on bringing back true playoff warrior Bennett, who leads the NHL postseason with 13 goals in 19 games. Marner, by contrast, sees his numbers plummet in the playoffs each year.

One other developement on the Marner front is that the Leafs have "opened the door" to a potential sign-and-trade, whereby they'd sign him to an eight-year deal and then trade him to his desired location for some asset in return, allowing him to get an extra year that he couldn't get on the open market, and the Leafs to get a little something back.

Just over three weeks and counting until this all comes to a head.

Marner cracked the 100-point mark for the first time this past season, finishing with 27 goals, a career-high 75 assists and 102 points. He has 741 points in 657 career games, all with his hometown team in Toronto, along with a plus/minus rating of +128.

But it's his playoff performances that have left him a target of abuse for Leafs fans and critics, as he has just 63 points in 70 career postseason games, and scant few in the critical Games 5-6-7 of playoff series: In 20 such situations, he has 0 goals and 7 assists.