Sure! Here’s a paraphrased version of your article while preserving its tone, structure, and intent:
The St. Louis Blues Should Steer Clear of Mitch Marner in Free Agency
After the 2024-25 season wrapped up, the St. Louis Blues acknowledged the need for roster upgrades. Despite putting together a record-setting win streak, it merely secured them the final wild card berth.
That naturally leads to internal questions: How aggressive should the team be in the offseason? And can a single big-name signing move the needle from barely making the playoffs to becoming a true contender?
That’s always a tough sell, and with the current crop of free agents, it’s even more unlikely. Still, teams always look to improve, and fans tend to gravitate toward the biggest name available.
In the summer of 2025, that name will likely be Mitch Marner. The Toronto Maple Leafs winger is coming off a career-best 102 points in the regular season, and he added 13 more in as many playoff games.
It’s no surprise, then, that reports suggest Marner is aiming for a starting figure of $12 million annually in contract talks. Whether or not he’s worth that is up for debate, but his point production, free agent status, and the rising salary cap mean someone will likely meet his asking price.
So should the Blues pursue him, knowing he’s arguably the best available? The short answer: no.
While Marner is a high-end offensive player, his addition wouldn’t provide enough value to justify the ripple effect on the roster. It’s not just about adding talent—fit and balance matter, too.
Even factoring in the expected cap relief from Torey Krug’s LTIR status, the Blues would only have around $11 million in cap space. That’s still short of Marner’s rumored demands, and there will be teams willing to go above $12 million to lure him.
To make it work, the Blues would have to unload a significant contract. Pavel Buchnevich has been mentioned as a potential trade piece, but moving him won’t be easy. Some fans would prefer to ship out Jordan Kyrou instead. That would open about $8 million in space—possibly enough to bridge the gap.
But again, is Marner worth that kind of reshuffling?
Yes, he brings points. He has four seasons of 94 or more points, while Kyrou’s best is 75. But digging deeper, the comparison gets more complicated.
Kyrou has logged three straight 30-goal seasons and could realistically hit 40. Marner has only topped 30 goals twice in his career, despite having nearly double the NHL experience.
Their power play production is comparable, and while Marner has flashed higher ceilings, Kyrou’s scoring output has been more consistent season-to-season. Marner’s stats also need context—he’s spent most of his career surrounded by elite scorers like Auston Matthews, William Nylander, and John Tavares.
In Toronto’s run-and-gun system (prior to 2024’s coaching change), Marner’s main job was to pile up offense. Playing with such talent made racking up assists easier—feeding passes to multiple 40-goal scorers will do that.
The Blues, however, rely more on a balanced team attack and sound defensive play. They don’t have those top-tier finishers, and probably won’t in the near future.
Kyrou, often criticized for his defense, actually made notable strides in that area last season—something the analytics confirm. Swapping him for Marner, who may score fewer goals, defend worse, and turn the puck over more, would be counterproductive.
Critics point to Kyrou’s giveaways, but even at his worst he had 79. Marner, meanwhile, has only had one season with fewer than 60 turnovers and is coming off a 106-giveaway campaign. That’s a red flag for a team under a defense-focused coach like Jim Montgomery.
And when it comes to playoff performance—where the Blues want to be better—Marner hasn’t been the most dependable. Though he posted 13 points in 13 games this spring, he also had 13 giveaways. In past postseasons, he’s gone stretches with little to no scoring and double-digit turnovers in short spans.
In short, Marner is a flashy name, but the price tag and ripple effects make him a poor fit for the Blues’ needs and identity. St. Louis would be better off exploring other options to retool their roster.
Let me know if you want a shorter version, SEO-focused headline, or if you’d like it tailored for social media or publication.
Leave a Reply