The Los Angeles Kings find themselves at a crossroads.
After a fourth straight first-round playoff exit—each one delivered by Connor McDavid and the Edmonton Oilers—the Kings are no longer content with “competitive.” They’re ready to break through. And few moves would signal that intent louder than acquiring Toronto Maple Leafs star winger Mitch Marner.
Though Marner has not formally requested a trade, the writing on the wall in Toronto is growing more legible by the day. Following yet another early postseason flameout, and with just one year remaining on his $10.9 million cap hit—protected by a full no-move clause—Marner’s future is more uncertain than ever. League executives across the NHL are preparing for the possibility that the Maple Leafs will look to move the 27-year-old playmaker rather than risk losing him for nothing next summer.
Enter the Kings.
The Los Angeles Kings’ Marner Pursuit: A High-Stakes Gamble for a Franchise-Changing Star
Armed with over $21 million in projected cap space and a new general manager in Ken Holland, Los Angeles is well-positioned to make an aggressive move. Multiple reports, including one from The Athletic’s James Mirtle, have identified the Kings as one of the few franchises both willing and able to match a contract figure in the neighborhood of Leon Draisaitl’s $14 million AAV—currently the highest in the league.
Despite some chatter at the NHL Combine casting doubt on their front-runner status, the Kings continue to loom as a logical—and motivated—landing spot. Their need is clear: consistent offensive production from the top six, particularly on the right side. Marner, who tallied 102 points last season and plays in all situations, checks every box.
Imagine a forward group anchored by Marner, Kevin Fiala, Anze Kopitar, and Phillip Danault. Add in Drew Doughty from the blue line and you have a core that blends experience, high-end talent, and structure. More importantly, you have a team capable of moving past the first round—a hurdle that has remained frustratingly out of reach since 2014.
But the price won’t be cheap.
If Toronto opens the trade market before July 1, the asking price could be steep: one of Brandt Clarke or Quinton Byfield, a 2025 first-round pick, and potentially a roster player to offset cap implications—someone like Trevor Moore or Arthur Kaliyev. It’s a heavy cost, but one the Kings might consider worth paying for a player who immediately transforms their forward group and fills their biggest void.
Beyond the numbers, Marner fits the Kings’ identity: fast, cerebral, defensively engaged, and capable of shifting the pace of a game on both the power play and penalty kill. He would not only alleviate the offensive burden on Kopitar and Fiala, but also open up space for the next generation of Kings—Byfield, Kempe, and Clarke—to grow.
Of course, there are risks. A failed trade or signing would not only eat a massive portion of cap space but also jeopardize the future core by parting with foundational assets. And there’s no guarantee Marner would extend in L.A. long-term. Yet for a team that has spun its tires in the mud of playoff purgatory for the past four years, the opportunity to land an elite talent in his prime is too rare to ignore.
For now, all eyes are on Brad Treliving and the Maple Leafs’ front office. If Toronto decides it’s time to turn the page on this core, the Kings may be first in line to capitalize.
Because in L.A., the goal is no longer just to make the playoffs—it’s to matter when they get there.