Anaheim Ducks Should Pursue Mitch Marner This Offseason

The Toronto Maple Leafs’ star forward Mitch Marner will become an unrestricted free agent on July 1, and rumors have immediately begun to fly regarding the 28-year-old’s future. Though he posted a career-high 102 points with the Maple Leafs in 2024-25, he has yet to be re-signed by the team and is likely to move elsewhere this offseason. Marner has played nine seasons in Toronto, being one of the team’s top and most consistent performers. A player of his caliber could bring a significant boost to a team that struggles on offense – and the Anaheim Ducks could be just the perfect candidate for his skill set.

Ducks’ Offensive Struggles

The Ducks’ offensive struggles are no secret in the league. They have not made it to the Stanley Cup Playoffs for seven consecutive seasons, posting just 80 points at their best during that span. One of the key deficits in the Ducks’ performance has been the lack of a high-powered, consistent offensive weapon. While young forward Mason McTavish is well on his way to becoming the team’s best performer, he scored just 22 goals this season, with the others on the roster falling short of that number.

While a player like McTavish is a valuable asset to the team, he still has room to grow before becoming a full-blown superstar, and the Ducks organization has made it clear that the Ducks must make the playoffs in the upcoming 2025-26 season. “Our goal is to make the playoffs, and I believe Joel is the guy to take us there,” said Ducks’ general manager Pat Verbeek after hiring Joel Quenneville. “To give you a little perspective,” he continued, “the first time he joined Chicago, he had a young and very talented and very raw team. When Joel and I got together, I believe that this team provides very similar circumstances and we see the same similarities.” This win-or-nothing mindset indicates that they need someone who will perform at an elite level from the get-go and also be a player who can help out the team’s highest performers by creating plays and notching assists. Marner could fill in this gap beautifully.

What Does Marner Bring to the Table?

Marner is both a consistent scorer and a strong playmaker. In the 2024-25 season, he scored 27 goals and tallied a career-high 75 assists, finishing the season with over a point-per-game and a plus-18 plus/minus. His playmaking abilities were a significant factor in the Maple Leafs’ postseason run as well – he posted 13 points in 13 games (two goals, 11 assists). Marner makes a noticeable difference on the ice with his speed, scoring ability, and hockey IQ. A player like him could be valuable to the Ducks because of his ability to both create plays for others and score on his own. The Ducks do have a valuable playmaker in Troy Terry, who finished this season with 34 assists. However, his scoring ability is not on par with Marner, who has finished five consecutive seasons with 20-plus goals.

Should Marner join the Ducks and quickly find his groove in Anaheim, he could easily be the team’s leading goal scorer in the upcoming season and find himself as an integral part of the Ducks’ pursuit of a postseason run. However, the forward has never played for another team in his professional career, a factor that would likely lead to a bumpy first few weeks as he adjusted to a new coaching system and style of play. On the other hand, the entire Ducks roster will be going through a period of adjustment as they become familiar with their new coaching staff, so Marner would not be alone in that endeavor.

Ducks Must Actively Pursue Mitch Marner

Eric Stephens, a Ducks insider for The Athletic, encourages the team to pursue Marner aggressively during this period of free agency. “The Ducks are positioned to make a gigantic splash in free agency. Marner was the NHL’s fifth-leading scorer. Wanting him and getting him might be different matters, but the last Ducks player to finish that high in the scoring race was Ryan Getzlaf (with 87 points) in 2013-14. Can you imagine a top line with Marner, Leo Carlsson, and Cutter Gauthier as they chart a path to the playoffs?” he says.