Maple Leafs Rumors: Marner Lands With Lightning In Proposed Intra-Divisional Blockbuster

With all the buzz around what the Toronto Maple Leafs are going to do with their roster this offseason, the talk always seems to come back to star forward Mitch Marner's future, as pundits north and south of the border are trying to figure out ideal trades the team can make.

One of the latest scenarios comes from Kevin McGran of the Toronto Star, who posits that an intriguing one-for-one intra-divisional trade with the Tampa Bay Lightning could get both teams what they're looking for.

Tampa Bay Lightning Receive:

Mitch Marner

Toronto Maple Leafs Receive:

Mikhail Sergachev

There have been some "rumblings," notes McGran, that Sergachev might be unhappy playing second banana on defense to Bolts' icon Victor Hedman, and could be looking to take the reins of his own blueline as the top D-man. He'd certainly have that opportunity in Toronto, who have been looking for a true No. 1 for years (apologies to Morgan Rielly, who's served the franchise well, but doesn't fit that true mold of a No. 1 workhorse).

The financials would already be taken care of from the Leafs side, as Sergachev just finished the first season of an 8-year, $8.5 million deal. He's also only just turning 26 next month.

For the Lightning, they get a tremendous playmaking boost to their top-six, as Marner has been a point-per-game player throughout his career.

Naturally, none of this flies if Marner isn't on board. He has a full no-move clause, and there's no indication yet if he's willing to waive it to go anywhere. He has one year left on his contract, with a $10.9 million cap hit.