Report: Canadian team emerges as 'dark horse' for Mitch Marner

A Canadian-based NHL team is emerging as a 'dark horse' contender to land Toronto Maple Leafs pending UFA forward Mitch Marner this summer on the open market, per analyst Jeff Marek.

One of the most intriguing storylines of the summer is going to be where Mitch Marner signs.

Marner, who was taken with the 4th overall pick in the 2015 NHL Entry Draft by the Toronto Maple Leafs and has played his entire NHL career up to this point with the club he grew up cheering for as a child, could very well be moving on.

Following the latest collapse by the Maple Leafs in the postseason, Toronto general manager Brad Treliving spoke about the need to shake up the DNA on the roster, and letting Marner seek other NHL opportunities could be part of that process.

While there will be several suitors for Marner south of the Canadian border, what are the chances that he could shock Maple Leafs fans everywhere and join forces with a divisional foe?

Per a new report, a 'dark horse' contender to land Marner could actually be the Ottawa Senators, who Marner helped the Maple Leafs defeat in Round 1 of the postseason in the first round in April.