NHL Insider Floats Panthers Move for Maple Leafs' Mitch Marner

Speaking on “The Sheet,” Marek floated the back-to-back champions as a potential landing spot for the Maple Leafs star, citing Sam Bennett as one major factor.

"Something really interesting happened at the 4 Nations," Marek said. "Mitch Marner played with Sam Bennett, and he looked really different."

Marek said Bennett’s playing style brings out a more effective version of Marner compared to his longtime linemate in Toronto, Auston Matthews.

"Matthews and Marner are more similar than they are different," Marek said. “But Bennet and Marner — those are two distinct players, and I know it's a very, very small sample size, but I think there's something there."

Marek predicted the exit of two Panthers, thus opening enough cap space and roster room to sign Marner and making a potential reunion with Bennett possible, provided Bennett is re-signed to an extension himself.

“And when you throw in the state tax situation,” Marek said, “I don’t know that it will be outlandish to speculate or wonder about, if the Florida Panthers don't bring back all three...”

Marek finished by predicting Ekblad will sign with the Utah Mammoth and Marchand with the Dallas Stars, giving the Panthers the cap space they need to land Marner.