Rumors are flying the New Jersey Devils could be one of the few teams preparing an offer sheet for Toronto Maple Leafs star Mitch Marner. As enticing as it sounds, they should not do it.
The rumor mill has been buzzing more weeks. It seems like the New Jersey Devils are in on just about every big name who’s not a center after getting Jack Hughes in the NHL Draft. Maybe it’s having a ton of cap space and no real huge free agents to sign, or maybe it was the threat of losing former MVP Taylor Hall. Either way, the Devils are the darling when it comes to rumors.
The chatter actually turned into something when Ray Shero traded for former Nashville Predators defenseman P.K. Subban during the second day of the draft. Then, they made a signing on the first day of free agency for the first time since they brought in Brian Boyle. It’s been a good offseason for the Devils already.
Now, there are rumors the Devils are planning a move that trumps those moves by a lot. Yes, even the Subban move. There are rumors the Devils are preparing a $12.5 million offer sheet for Mitch Marner. That sounds insane, but it could actually work.
Marner is 22 years old, and already has 224 points. He hasn’t missed a game in two seasons, and is playing like a superstar. Not only is he scoring like a madman, he got votes for the Lady Bing and Selke Trophy. He’s the kind of player the Devils truly covet.
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The price is insane. It would be tied with Connor McDavid for highest paid players in the National Hockey League. That’s too high a price for a winger, let alone a player who’s not yet the best in the league at his position. Marner is amazing, and would be perfect on the Devils, but for $12.5 million the Devils would need a sure thing. It’s hard to call Marner that when he played with John Tavares during by far his best season.
That’s not even the worst of it. If it was just cap space we were losing here, it would at least be palatable. No, the Devils have to give up cap space plus four 1st-round draft picks.
There’s close to no player in this league that’s worth four 1st-round picks. That’s mortgaging the future for the Devils. If it’s true that Marner wants a five-year deal, then the Devils would only get one year where they have the benefit of Marner but not the cost.
This just seems like it’s way too much for what the Devils would be getting in return. They are getting a legitimate first-line winger. He’s a former third-overall pick, which is arguably better than a treasure trove of mid-to-late 1st-round picks. However, the risk here is that there could be one lost year where the Devils need that pick. Heck, just two seasons ago the Tampa Bay Lightning missed the playoffs. It can happen to anyone.
Marner would be the piece to push the Devils over the top, and we’d expect Taylor Hall to sign a contract extension tomorrow, but it’s still too much for this specific player. The Devils need to pass.