Top trade candidate for Mitch Marner announced

The future of Toronto Maple Leafs forward Mitch Marner is very much in the air right now, as he has one year left on his contract with no guarantee of sticking around beyond next season. In fact, Marner's name has been heavily involved in trade rumors to the point that many believe there's a very real possibility he's playing elsewhere by the time the 32 NHL clubs reconvene this fall. 

And while there have been a handful of teams linked to Marner should he ultimately be traded from the only NHL club he's suited up for during his career, one analyst believes he has the perfect potential destination in mind.

According to Shayna Goldman of The Athletic, the Vegas Golden Knights are the perfect situation for Marner given their propensity to play fast and loose with the NHL salary cap rules: 

"Right now, Vegas can’t afford Marner and his $10.9 million cap hit. But no worries there — management always finds a loophole to exploit or a salary to ditch, even when it means moving a solid player for nothing but cap space in return," Goldman reported. 

Needless to say, the Golden Knights would have to do some more maneuvering around the salary cap if they were to accommodate Marner's salary. It would mean that not only would 2023 Conn Smythe Trophy winner Jonathan Marchessault almost certainly not be back, but that they would also have to trade away at least one more piece on the roster. 

Would Marner benefit from a change of scenery, and would Sin City be the ideal destination if his time with the Leafs was ultimately finished? 

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