The Toronto Maple Leafs made the biggest splash of the NHL offseason, when they traded their nine-year veteran star forward Mitch Marner, who scored 27 goals last season, to the Vegas Golden Knights.
The 28-year-old Marner avoided the unrestricted free agent market with the trade, that resulted in his signing a hefty, eight-year, $96 million contract that will keep him in Sin City until the age of 36.
How Maple Leafs Replace Departed Mitch Marner
But how do the Maple Leafs, who have not made it to the Stanley Cup Final since 1967, fill the gap left by Marner? According to Hockey News analyst Michael DeRosa, the answer lies in Pittsburgh with 32-year-old Penguins Swedish right winger Rickard Rakell â who tallied 35 goals last season, the highest total of his 13-season career.
With three years remaining on his six-year, $30 million contract with a manageable $5 million annual cap hit, Rakell would likely command a premium price if the Penguins chose to deal him away. But according to DeRosa, Toronto would “stand out as a prime potential landing spot for Rakell.”
Rakell entered the league as 2011 first round draft pick of the Anaheim Ducks. He played for the Ducks from 2012 until midway through the 2021 season when Anaheim traded him to the Penguins for a second-round draft pick and three players. The 6-foot-1, 191-pounder has scored at least 20 goals in three of his last four seasons, and has topped 30 three times in his career.
Cap Space is Main Obstacle to Acquiring Rakell
“If the Maple Leafs acquired Rakell, he could work nicely playing on their first line with Auston Matthews and Matthew Knies. Even if he played on the Maple Leafsâ second line with William Nylander moving to the first, Rakell would undoubtedly give their current forward group more proven goal-scoring and playmaking abilities,” DeRosa wrote, noting one hitch on the Maple Leafs potential acquisition of Rakell.
“The Maple Leafs have just under $2 million of cap space, so they canât acquire him right now without clearing cap space,” the Hockey News scribe added.
At the same time, the Penguins’ asking price for Rakell will be “sky high,” according to Pittsburgh Hockey Now editor-in-chief Dan Kingerski.
Real Price for Pittsburgh Forward Calculated
“What is Rakell really worth?” Kingerski wrote in July, when rumors that the winger may be available in trade first circulated. “Weâre going to add for inflation from 2022, and say a good B+ level prospect or young player, a draft pick in the 25th to 48th range (first half of the second round), and based on the value (or lack thereof) of the first two assets, perhaps a depth NHL player, such as a bottom-six forward, backup goalie, or third-pair defenseman type.”
DeRosa was not alone this week is pressing for the Leafs to make a trade for Rakell. Fansided Maple Leafs correspondent Jeremy Franks also advocated for a Rakell deal, adding that in addition to his goal-scoring abilities, “Rakell also brings a physical presence, having registered over 100 hits in five seasons.”
Even if the Maple Leafs can’t get a trade done before the start of the season, according to DeRosa, Rakell could still make a good trade deadline acquisition. According to the financial site PuckPedia, Toronto is expected to have nearly $8.8 million in cap space available at the trade deadline, making Rakell easily affordable at that time.
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