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Why the Golden Knights must make this trade now

With Jonathan Marchessault gone and Steven Stamkos joining him in Nashville, the Golden Knights need a top-line player. Why must they acquire this elite player?

By Jacob Walters

Toronto Maple Leafs v Boston Bruins - Game Two
Toronto Maple Leafs v Boston Bruins - Game Two / Richard T Gagnon/GettyImages
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Mitch Marner is statistically better than Jonathan Marchessault

No disrespect to the "Original Misfit," but Mitch Marner would be a major top-line upgrade from Jonathan Marchessault. He's younger (Marchessault is 33, while Marner is 27) and bigger (6'0" compared to Marchessault being 5'9"), where he's more versatile. The first line has a massive opening with the former Conn Smythe winner gone, so the Maple Leafs superstar should fit right in.

Also, the stat lines skew favorably towards the right winger. The "Original Misfit" had 417 points during his Vegas tenure, consisting of 192 goals and 225 assists. Meanwhile, Toronto's star player scored 578 points since 2017-18 (175 goals, 403 assists). That includes three seasons with 90+ points. While Marchessault has been a valuable asset for the Golden Knights, Marner would be a younger upgrade.

Yes, the "Misfit" is much better in the postseason than the three-time All-Star, with 75 points compared to 46 postseason points. However, there's no denying the right winger would benefit from a veteran group that won the Stanley Cup. Compare that to Toronto, who's lucky to barely get out of the first round.

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