The Montreal Canadiens are at a pivotal crossroads as the off-season approaches, with the front office signaling a clear intent to bolster the team’s offensive firepower. While the search for a dynamic second-line center has dominated headlines and fan discussions, there’s a growing sense within management that a game-changing winger could be just as valuable to the team’s ambitions.

This strategic flexibility has opened the door to a wave of speculation, especially as the NHL’s free agency period looms and some of the league’s biggest names become available.

Among those names, one stands out above the rest: Mitch Marner. The Toronto Maple Leafs superstar has consistently dazzled fans and analysts alike with his elite playmaking and scoring ability, cementing his status as one of the NHL’s premier forwards.

With the Leafs once again falling short in the playoffs, rumors are swirling about Marner’s future—and whether a change of scenery could be on the horizon. For the Canadiens, the prospect of adding such a proven point producer is both thrilling and daunting, as it would require a significant financial commitment and bold vision from the front office. As rumors intensify, the hockey world waits to see if Montreal will make the move that could redefine their future.

Mitch Marner

Photo credit: NHL

As you know, the Montreal Canadiens intend to bring in reinforcements on offense for next season.

While all Canadiens fans are hoping that Kent Hughes will add a second-line center, his assistant Jeff Gorton, for his part, suggested during the end-of-season press conference that a winger could also do the job.

“If you look around the League, there are players who aren’t necessarily centers but still put up 100 points and are the catalysts of their line.

There’s more than one way to reach our goals.”

– Jeff Gorton

Which brings us to the top unrestricted free agent on the market – a certain Mitch Marner.

The star forward of the Toronto Maple Leafs will no doubt be highly sought after, and a well-known insider has even predicted the kind of contract Marner might sign starting July 1.

Frank Seravalli reveals the price Kent Hughes and the Montreal Canadiens would have to pay to acquire Mitch Marner

On the Daily Faceoff website, Frank Seravalli released his list of the top 50 unrestricted free agents of the 2025 class, along with projected contracts.

Unsurprisingly, Mitch Marner tops the list, and according to Seravalli, it would cost an NHL team $13 million per year to sign him.

We’re also talking about a seven-year deal.

And you, would you offer $13 million per year for seven seasons to the 100-point winger Mitch Marner?

Now 28 years old, Marner, 6 feet tall and 180 pounds, was selected 4th overall by the Toronto Maple Leafs in 2015.

In recent seasons, he’s produced at rates of 103 points, 101 points, 101 points, 110 points, and 100 points per 82 games.

With the Leafs now eliminated in embarrassing fashion by the Panthers once again in game 7, the chances of this being Marner’s final game in a Leafs jersey just went up.