With the free agent market nearly exhausted two weeks into July, the Toronto Maple Leafs and the New York Rangers find themselves in a similar situation, trying to address the final needs of their rosters for the 2024-25 season.
The Rangers are in search of a top-line right winger to pair with Chris Kreider and Mika Zibanejad, while the Maple Leafs lack depth in their defense but have a surplus of forwards.
Interestingly, both teams could potentially trade players to meet each other’s needs: the Maple Leafs’ right winger Mitch Marner and the Rangers’ right defenseman Jacob Trouba.
A trade proposal from Heavy Sports suggests that the Rangers could get the top-line forward they need in exchange for a defenseman who would fit well as the Leafs’ second-pair defenseman.
However, for this trade to happen, both players would need to approve it. Marner has a full no-move clause in his contract, and Trouba has a 15-team no-trade list, requiring Toronto to be excluded from that list.
Nonetheless, both teams and players are perfect matches in terms of salary and cap space for a trade. According to PuckPedia, a one-for-one trade would work for both teams.
The Leafs would gain $3.8 million in cap space, while the Rangers, with $5.1 million in cap space before the trade, could absorb the salary difference.
### Rangers Looking to Move On From Jacob Trouba
The Rangers requested Jacob Trouba’s 15-team no-trade list ahead of free agency, as reported by Arthur Staple of The Athletic on June 27.
The Rangers and the Detroit Red Wings nearly made a trade during draft weekend, but Trouba used his no-trade power to block it, according to Larry Brooks of the New York Post on June 29.
Trouba scored 3 goals and 19 assists for 22 points in 69 regular-season games in 2024, adding 1 goal and 6 assists in 16 postseason contests. He has two years left on his seven-year, $56 million contract.
Staple and Peter Baugh mentioned the Maple Leafs as a potential trade fit for Trouba, noting the Leafs’ need for a big, right-shot defenseman. Trouba would need to approve a trade to Toronto by excluding the Leafs from his no-trade list, although he might have all seven Canadian teams on it.
### Mitch Marner’s Future with the Maple Leafs
There has been considerable speculation about Marner’s future in Toronto. He is entering the final season of his six-year, $65.4 million contract.
Terry Koshan of the Toronto Sun reported on July 12 that a Marner trade could occur by the second week of July.
During the end-of-season availability on May 6, Marner expressed his desire to stay in Toronto long-term.
“That’d be a goal. I’ve expressed my love for this place, this city. Obviously, I’ve grown up here. We’ll start thinking about that now and trying to figure something out… It means the world to me,” Marner said.
Leafs general manager Brad Treliving addressed the speculation surrounding Marner during the NHL combine on June 3, advising caution regarding rumors and emphasizing Marner’s value to the team.
“Mitch is a hell of a player. We’re not going to comment on any players. We’re not going to do play-by-play on it,” Treliving said. “We’ve got to look at every possible way for our team to be better.”
This trade scenario, if it materializes, could significantly impact both teams’ rosters and address their current needs.