Mitch Marner is set to be the top free agent available on July 1, and one prediction has him landing with the New York Rangers.
PuckPedia, a website that allows users to forecast trades and signings, features a prediction that the Rangers will sign Marner to a seven-year, $91 million contract. This deal would carry an annual value of $13 million, securing a massive payday for the Toronto Maple Leafs star.
Marner is expected to receive a lucrative contract in free agency, and $13 million per season seems like a reasonable estimate for his next deal.
However, for the Rangers to afford Marner, they would need to clear salary cap space. One way to do so would be by trading Chris Kreider or Mika Zibanejad, both of whom have been mentioned in trade rumors.
If New York moves one of them, signing Marner to maintain offensive firepower would be a logical move. Currently in the final year of his six-year, $65.41 million contract with Toronto, Marner has registered 21 goals and 59 assists for 80 points in 65 games this season.
Rangers Could Move 3 Impact Forwards
The New York Rangers are in the midst of a playoff push, but their roster could undergo significant changes next season.
The team has been linked to potential major moves, and The Athletic’s Rangers reporter, Peter Baugh, suggests that New York may consider trading Chris Kreider, Mika Zibanejad, or Artemi Panarin.
“If the Rangers are going to make significant changes, they will need to move players,” Baugh wrote. “Chris Kreider appears to be the most likely candidate, especially since general manager Chris Drury already showed a willingness to listen to offers back in November.
At that time, he signaled to the league’s 31 other GMs that he was open to discussing Kreider and then-captain Jacob Trouba. However, moving Kreider’s $6.5 million cap hit could be challenging due to his trade protection and underwhelming season.”
Baugh also noted that trading Zibanejad, who carries an $8.5 million cap hit through 2029-30, or Panarin, who is signed at $11.642 million through 2025-26, would free up even more cap space. However, both players have no-movement clauses and are among the Rangers’ top three point producers, meaning parting with them would create an offensive void.
Currently sitting at 33-28-6 and holding the final Wild Card spot, the Rangers are in playoff contention. Still, even if they reach the postseason, they could be in for a major roster shakeup in the offseason.
