Mega Deal Floated Between Leafs and Red Wings for Marner Replacement

Heavy.com recently floated a blockbuster trade idea that would send Alex DeBrincat to Toronto as a potential Mitch Marner replacement. On the surface, the proposed trade would give the Maple Leafs a new potential top-line winger, replacing the production lost with Marner going to Vegas. However, the proposed cost is staggering.

In the deal, the author argues that the Leafs could offer arguably their top prospect in Easton Cowan, their power-play quarterback defenseman in Morgan Rielly, a solid top-nine winger in Bobby McMann, and a first-round pick.

That’s a huge package, DeBrincat, with only a third-rounder thrown in and coming back to Toronto.

DeBrincat posted 39 goals and 70 points last season, and his power play production would certainly help replace many of the points Marner takes with him to the Golden Knights. At just 26, he’s in his prime and under contract for two more seasons. On paper, there’s a lot to like about him in a Leafs’ sweater, even if DeBrincat and Marner are different types of offensive producers.

Maple Leafs Paying Far Too Much for DeBrincat

But the package outlined here feels like an overpayment, one possibly done to make the salary cap work.

While trade rumors have surrounded the blueliner this summer, Rielly is still Toronto’s best defenseman and one of the longest-tenured Leafs. He logs heavy minutes in all situations. Trading him away would create a massive hole on the blue line, while also removing much of the scoring from that back end that Toronto has been searching for this off-season.

Add in Cowan, one of the organization’s most promising young prospects, plus a future first-round pick, and the price tag simply outweighs the return.

Throwing in McMann feels like an afterthought, but he’s more valuable than that.

And, at the end of the day, DeBrincat is a strong offensive weapon, but he isn’t Mitch Marner. He doesn’t drive play at the same level, nor does he have the same two-way impact. If Toronto is going to part with a core defenseman, a top prospect, and a first-round pick, the player coming back should be a franchise cornerstone—not just a scoring winger.

In the end, while DeBrincat would undoubtedly boost the Leafs’ attack, paying this kind of premium would weaken other critical areas of the roster. For Brad Treliving, the smarter move might be to hold firm rather than swing at an all-in trade that costs too much.

That is, of course, assuming DeBrincat has any desire to leave Detroit for Toronto — which he might not. He holds a 16-team no-trade clause as part of his deal.

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