Mitch Marner on trade block?: 5 possible landing spots

Washington Capitals

The trade: The Capitals acquire Marner. The Maple Leafs acquire Hendrix LaPierre, Ryan Leonard and Ryan Chesley.

The Capitals are now in a situation where they have to balance an aging roster that has had mediocre results. Spencer Carbery did a great job in his first season in Washington D.C. and he should be able to get the most out of his team next season. Marner is a player who could help the current squad, while also becoming the face of the franchise whenever Alex Ovechkin retires. 

Ryan Leonard is the headliner here and his inclusion could upset Capitals fans. He is a former top-10 pick who just put up 60 points this season at Boston College. But the reality is prospects are no guarantee. Marner is an elite player and there is only hope as of now that Leonard could sniff that level. Marner is 27 years old and still has plenty of great years in front of him. LaPierre had a nice rookie season in the NHL and Chesley was one of the best defensemen in the Big Ten in 2023-24 at Minnesota.