Mitch Marner to Vegas, Chicago, or Nashville? What destination is best for his hockey card values?
Mitch Marner has averaged nearly 94 points for the last three seasons with the Toronto Maple Leafs. The assistant captain also finds himself the subject of trade chatter for several NHL teams.
Trading the 27-year-old will not be easy. Marner has one season left at a salary cap hit of $10.9 million and has a no-trade clause.
Marner's Young Guns PSA 10 are not trading for what you would expect from someone that averages 94 points-per-season.
There are a number of potential landing points for the 2015 No. 4 overall pick. Here is how each market could impact his trading card values.
Vegas Golden Knights
Another offseason and Vegas Golden Knights general manager Kelly McCrimmon is targeting a shiny new toy. Shocker.
Vegas is far from the hockey market that Toronto is. Marner's hockey cards would most likely suffer a small decline in value. On the flipside, if Marner can succeed on a line without Auston Matthews and the Golden Knights make a deep playoff run. Marner's cards could go to all-time highs.
Nashville Predators
Nashville Predators general manager Barry Trotz has been cleaning house and has the salary cap space needed to acquire Marner. The Predators would need to make a deep playoff run for Marner's cards to gain momentum.
Chicago Blackhawks
Connor Bedard has vaulted hockey cards into a level never seen before. Marner to the Chicago Blackhawks would lead to an immediate spike in Marner's hockey card values. Marner and Bedard on the same line?! Yum yum.
Calgary Flames
The Leafs are no stranger to goaltending issues. A package involving Flames' goaltender Jacob Markstrom could be advantageous for both clubs. Unfortunately the Flames traded many superstars and key players from the franchise over the last two seasons. Marner to a smaller Canadian market could be catastrophic for his hockey card values.
Utah (insert new team name here)
Intriguing. Marner gets a new start with an entire team getting a new start in a new city. At the end of the day, Marner's and the new team's performance would be the ultimate influence on his hockey card values. There would be a lot of speculation purchases of Marner's cards based on the upside.
Seattle Kraken, Anaheim Ducks, New Jersey Devils
These teams can be lumped together. The Seattle Kraken, Anaheim Ducks, and New Jersey Devils are not major American hockey markets. If Marner went to any of the three teams listed above and did not make the playoffs, his card values would tank harder than the San Jose Sharks did for Macklin Celebrini last season.
Happy hunting and collecting!