With Mitch Marner’s name significantly embroiled in trade talks, the Chicago Blackhawks should avoid trading for him this offseason. Many people believe Mitch Marner would be a wonderful fit for the Hawks, who are looking for a top forward to play alongside Connor Bedard. Regardless of their need for talent, the Blackhawks should avoid Marner. Let’s look at some of the reasons why the Hawks should not trade for Mitch Marner.
The Blackhawks are a bad fit for Marner.
Luke Richardson, the Chicago Blackhawks’ head coach, runs a hard-nosed hockey system every night. It is evident that Marner does not fit into this structure. Questions about Marner’s effort levels and defensive abilities have always been key issues in his game. Marner has also become more of a perimeter player in recent seasons, with little impact.
Luke Richardson appears to be Chicago’s future head coach. Richardson’s ability to nurture young players makes him an invaluable coach. The Hawks are unlikely to make a coaching change unless the squad struggles next season. Marner would simply be an expensive sculpture displaying empty statistics in Chicago. For the change to be worthwhile, he would have to totally embrace the system. The only way Mitch Marner could be traded to Chicago is if Richardson was no longer behind the bench.
Marner needs an extension.
The Blackhawks have a lot of cap room, but Kyle Davidson doesn’t want to spend it all. Davidson has only two players under contract after the 2025-2026 season. Marner is in the final year of his current deal, which he signed in 2019. Marner would require a new contract, and all signs lead to him becoming one of the NHL’s top cap hits. Given the contracts of Elias Pettersson and William Nylander, Marner is in line for a rise on his next contract. If Chicago were less conservative, a Mitch Marner deal might appear more likely.
Kyle Davidson is unlikely to back up the brinks truck for Marner in the same way that other general managers may. Davidson clearly wants to give the prospects time to develop, so acquiring an NHL-ready player looking for a new contract does not appear to be a priority. Don’t be surprised if Davidson spends less money over the next couple seasons. Chicago would need to deal Seth Jones.
Any Mitch Marner trade to Chicago would probably entail Seth Jones.
The Maple Leafs are looking for an offensive-minded defenseman after John Klingberg missed the majority of the season due to injury. The Leafs would need a defenseman back in any deal for Marner, and both Kevin Korchinski and Alex Vlasic are untouchables, making Jones an obvious choice.
Even though Seth Jones is a troublesome player, he remains a veteran on the Hawks’ blue line. He is consistently one of the Hawks’ ice time leaders and possesses the qualities that a team seeks in a leader. Sure, Jones hasn’t lived up to his contract so far, but consider the team around him.
Jones has stated a desire to be traded this offseason, but that’s a whole different story. Trading Jones for an expiring contract in Marner simply does not work for me. Even if Jones struggles, he is committed to Chicago for the long term, whereas Marner could easily take a pay day somewhere.
The Blackhawks should avoid Mitch Marner and instead focus on players that fit better into their scheme. Additionally, the Hawks should continue to cultivate talents from within. Considering everything, dealing for a frustrating player like Mitch Marner does not appear to be a good deal for Chicago.
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