Top NHL insider proposes major Toronto Maple Leafs swap for Vezina winning goaltender

For months the future of Mitch Marner with the Toronto Maple Leafs has been in doubt. To begin the season Mitch Marner remains without a contract and the two sides don't seem particularly close. This means Mitch Marner will likely play out the season with free agency being the end destination.

The Toronto Maple Leafs will have to make a decision with Mitch Marner and weigh the pros and cons of keeping him or letting him leave Toronto. If the Maple Leafs in the end decide to let Mitch Marner go NHL insider Pierre LeBrun believes that Vezina Trophy winner Igor Shesterkin could be a potential replacement for Mitch Marner's salary cap space.

Both players are free agents and would be allowed to sign with a new team on July 1st. If both remain without extensions Pierre LeBrun believes that the Maple Leafs would then need to decide between paying Mitch Marner after free agency opens or taking a run at Igor Shesterkin.

With the question posed by Pierre LeBrun, what should the Toronto Maple Leafs do let's take a look at the different scenarios.

At the end of the 2024-25 NHL season if Mitch Marner is unsigned then a decision needs to be made to pay him what he has been asking for or let him go. If Igor Shesterkin is also available the discussion becomes more interesting so let's look at what each player could bring to the Maple Leafs.

In Mitch Marner, the Toronto Maple Leafs would get a familiar and known commodity. A winger who is a high-end playmaker and approaches the 90-100 point plateau each season. Of course, fans have become frustrated with his lack of defensive effort and an overall lack of physical game throughout the past couple of seasons. The Maple Leafs also have several young forwards coming up including Easton Cowan, Nikita Grebenkin, and Fraser Minten who could force their way up the lineup.

If the Maple Leafs were to pursue Igor Shesterkin they would shore up arguably their most questionable position goaltending. Over the past 3 seasons, the goaltending position has caused the most pain and frustration for Maple Leafs fans. Bringing in Igor Shesterkin would bring a goaltender who has throughout his entire career never had a save percentage below 0.913. At age 29 by the time he was to sign Igor Shesterkin would still be in the early part of his prime. He would solidify the position but take up almost all of Mitch Marner's vacated salary.

The 2025 NHL offseason is many months away still. If the Maple Leafs make it to July 1st and can choose between signing Mitch Marner or Igor Shesterkin the choice is fairly clear. Bring in the elite goaltender and let the young forwards try and replace the production of Mitch Marner. If they do not meet the lofty heights of Mitch Marner there is still Auston Matthews and William Nylander to fall back on.

As the NHL season gets underway the contract situations of both of these players will be ones to watch closely. If both make it to July 1st and free agency look for the Maple Leafs to go after Igor Shesterkin immediately.