A trade pitch has the Toronto Maple Leafs trading star forward Mitch Marner in a five-player deal with the Nashville Predators.

Asked about the state of extension talks with not only Marner but John Tavares and pending RFA Matthew Knies earlier this month, Leafs GM Brad Treliving said, “Those are things that we always are looking at and talking about and rumbling around, but nothing to report right now.”

Former NHL player and current analyst Paul Bissonnette believes the Toronto Maple Leafs should consider a bold move next summer. As Bissonnette explained on Tuesday, the Maple Leafs should pursue the signing of new Carolina Hurricanes forward Mikko Rantanen if he gets to free agency and Toronto lets Mitch Marner walk.

Speaking on “Spittin’ Chiclets”, host Paul Bissonnette suggested that if the Toronto Maple Leafs struggle with Mitch Marner’s contract negotiations, the team should shift gears and turn their attention to the recently traded Mikko Rantanen.

Leafs star Mitch Marner is in the midst of one of his best seasons, and the 27-year-old was the catalyst of a 5-3 victory over the Lightning.

There are two possible worlds for Marner. He goes to the 4 Nations Face-Off and dominates, the Leafs take a couple of rounds, he’s just as good at the Olympics and everybody agrees it was a near miss with that guy. The other world is more of the same.

The Vancouver Canucks are at a crossroads with one of Elias Pettersson or J.T. Miller likely getting traded before the March 7 deadline. The longtime spat between the two players has finally broken containment and is the talk of the league. President Jim Rutherford publicly addressed it, and a trade feels like the only logical resolution.

The Four Nations Face-Off gives plenty of reason for NHL fans–particularly Toronto Maple Leafs fans–to be invested in the tournament. The Maple Leafs are one of just two NHL franchises that will be represented on all four squads.

Squaring off with nearly identical records entering Wednesday’s contest, the Toronto Maple Leafs were presented with a key opportunity to get out of a rut against a quality Minnesota Wild team, with a four-game road trip on the horizon before the 4 Nations Face-Off break.

You can look to John Tavares and Matthew Knies’ imminent returns and hope they can spark the lineup, but this is still a team with Auston Matthews, William Nylander and Mitch Marner. Offence should not be this difficult and they have the raw talent to at least make games interesting. Tonight was far from it.

Pacioretty is projected to return to the Maple Leafs' lineup against the Wild while Knies could be back on Saturday against Edmonton.

Toronto Maple Leafs' Auston Matthews, centre, tries to tip the puck in front of Minnesota Wild goaltender Filip Gustavsson, right, as Jake Middleton, left, defends during the second period in Toronto on Jan. 29. Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press