Maple Leafs Linked to 'Tricky' Offseason Move for Stars' Jason Robertson

"If the Toronto Maple Leafs watch forward Mitch Marner walk in free agency come July 1, they’re going to have a massive hole to fill up front," Yerdon wrote. "He is a top player in the league and nearly impossible to replace... unless they traded for Robertson."

Robertson, 25, is entering the final year of a four-year, $31 million contract with the Stars.

Yerdon, however, hinted at the challenge the Leafs would face in trying to put together a package to complete a trade for Robertson.

"Do we want to get into how Toronto could swing such a trade? Well, that's the tricky part," Yerdon wrote. "The Leafs lack top prospects to move and don't have a first-round pick for the next three years."

In a related report involving Marner and a trade, however, David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period reported a "plausible" scenario in which Toronto could explore trading Marner’s negotiating rights before free agency opens.

"Could the Leafs trade his rights for a draft pick to give a team a headstart in contract negotiations?" Pagnotta wondered. "That seems more plausible."

That option becomes especially relevant in Yerdon's scenario if Marner signals a willingness to sign long-term in Dallas, potentially making the two teams natural trade partners. For now, however, the two scenarios are mere speculation on both analysts' sides.