The Maple Leafs Should Trade Marner Rather Than Keep Him..

Insider Darren Dreger discussed the Mitch Marner situation and stated that he thinks Toronto Maple Leafs general manager Brad Treliving would want to extend Marner rather than move him in an interview that aired on TSN 1050 this morning. A few things come to mind if that is the case.

There Was a Promise of Change
Following yet another seven-game defeat to the Boston Bruins in the opening round, the Toronto brass announced at the Maple Leafs’ post-mortem press conference that they would be “looking at everything” in the hopes of eventually taking home the Stanley Cup. Many predicted that Marner would be traded in the upcoming months, given the amount of backlash he faced for his postseason play and the way he was portrayed in the media.
But no one in the Maple Leafs organization ever stated outright that Marner will be traded. Though it wasn’t stated outright, it was implied that the Core Four could be divided. Insider Elliotte Friedman declared on his 32 Thoughts podcast that unless Toronto mounted a spectacular comeback after going behind 3-1, the Core Four would come to an end during their first-round series against Boston.

They may not have succeeded completely, but they came close and performed like a true team to advance to the seventh game. Is it possible that the front office considered all the options and concluded that the Core Four deserved one more chance?
It scarcely seems adequate if the promised transformation consists of Sheldon Keefe and Guy Boucher’s firing. They weren’t the ones playing the games, and I don’t think a simple voice change in the locker room will make a difference after eight years and just one series victory.