The Leafs could have big plans involving Mitch Marner ahead of the 2022-23 season

Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman had suggested on Monday that the Leafs could look to move captain John Tavares to the wing next season, which would leave a gaping hole in the team's 2C spot. For the Leafs, you're not going to go out and get another John Tavares to plant into that hole at 2C in the free agent market. The option does exist to bring in a comparable player in a trade, but of course the cost would be astronomical and the Leafs don't exactly have a wealth of cap space to accommodate another big salary without first moving one out. However, is there an internal solution? Friedman thinks there is.

During his most recent 32 Thoughts Podcast, Friedman floated the idea of shifting Mitch Marner down to the 2C spot and either moving Tavares up to play with Auston Matthews or to remain on the second line alongside Marner, who will take on the roles and responsibilities as center. You can hear a clip of Friedman bringing this up below:

Marner did play center in Junior, and while the NHL is a whole different animal, the roles and responsibilities of a center are the same. With Marner having already not only adjusted to the pace of the NHL, but excelled at the highest level, the idea is not as crazy as it sounds.

Marner currently already plays a responsible two-way game and is heavily relied upon in all situations. He excels at 5v5, is excellent on the penalty kill and a lot of the offense flows through him on the power play as well. Certainly something to watch for when training camp opens up in a few months. Depending on what GM Kyle Dubas does in free agency, we may have a pretty good indication of whether or not the Leafs could be considering a trial with Mitch at center.