Mitch Marner linked to central division team after key player suffers injury

For months now, all of the speculation in Toronto has been about a Mitch Marner trade, and while new Head Coach Craig Berube has continued to support No. 16 as a Maple Leaf, the possibility of a trade isn't off the table yet. Now, an intriguing new trade partner has emerged, with the potentially season ending injury to Torey Krug opening up cap space for the St. Louis Blues to make a run at Marner.

It may make sense for the Blues to target a high-level replacement for Krug on the blue line, but according to The Leafs Nation, this opens them up as genuine candidates for Marner. With the Predators, Stars, Jets and Avalanche all expected to be playoff contenders in the Central, the Blues don't want to be left behind, and if they can find a superstar like Marner to lead this talented forward group, it could change the complexion of the Western Conference.

In their piece on the Blues and Mitch Marner, TLN proposed these intriguing trades;

On paper, it's not quite the return that Toronto would be expecting for Marner, but given that he'll be a UFA a year from now and may not be looking to extend, any type of return should be a positive for the Maple Leafs. Obviously the first option brings back veteran Brayden Shenn and two picks, but whether or not a trade looks like this, expect the Blues to continue their links to Marner as they look to continue their push for a Stanley Cup Playoff spot.