Throughout the current NHL offseason, numerous rumors have suggested that the Toronto Maple Leafs might trade Mitch Marner.

Despite his talent, the Maple Leafs have yet to achieve a deep Stanley Cup run during his tenure. Marner’s significant salary makes him a prime candidate for a trade, potentially offering the team crucial cap relief and a return of valuable prospects or young players.

However, before the Maple Leafs hastily decide to move the 27-year-old superstar, they should consider the scenarios that unfolded for two other young NHL stars in recent years: Jack Eichel and Matthew Tkachuk.

The Toronto Maple Leafs Should Consider Eichel and Tkachuk Before Trading Marner

For Eichel, after multiple seasons of missing the playoffs with the Buffalo Sabres, he was eventually traded to the Vegas Golden Knights. This move followed a dispute with team doctors over the procedure for his severely injured neck. What happened next? Eichel led the Golden Knights to their first-ever Stanley Cup in 2023, topping the team’s playoff scoring with 26 points.

Then there’s Tkachuk, who, during his time with the Calgary Flames and under the management of current Leafs GM Brad Treliving, informed the team he wouldn’t sign a long-term extension. To avoid losing him for nothing, the Flames quickly traded him to the Florida Panthers in a blockbuster deal during the 2022 offseason. In a strikingly similar outcome to Eichel’s, Tkachuk led the Panthers to the Stanley Cup Finals in his second season, securing the championship by defeating Connor McDavid and the Edmonton Oilers. Tkachuk tied for the team lead in playoff scoring with 22 points in 24 games.

Both young stars went on to win the Stanley Cup after being traded. So, what might happen if the Leafs trade Marner? It’s plausible that Marner could lead his new team to a Stanley Cup victory in his second season, a scenario the Leafs and their fans would dread. Fortunately for the Leafs, Marner isn’t demanding a trade and remains on good terms with the management.

Thus, Leafs GM Brad Treliving must avoid repeating past mistakes. Otherwise, the team and its fans might be left with a lingering sense of regret over what could have been.