"This would be up to Marner, who has a full no-movement clause in his contract. But Marner may feel he's not the best fit in Toronto. He takes criticism personally, and there's a lot of it in Toronto. And there was some sniping in the playoffs among the core players that suggested all may not be well. Marner, Matthews and Nylander were spotted visibly frustrated with each other in Game 4, though they all said that was related to a single play and said not to put too much stock in it.
Still, Marner may feel better going to a sunshine state where he can be the best player and live in relative anonymity.
Given he is eligible to sign an extension this summer, a sign-and-trade could well be in the works. Marner would be coveted by any team. Lightning coach Jon Cooper has long sung his praises and Tampa might be willing to part with defenceman Mikhail Sergachev. The new team in Utah could probably use a player like Marner.
Even if the Leafs didn't get a stud player back, the cap space could be invaluable to draw better players to support the remaining core players."
