Mitch Marner to the Blues? It Should Remain a Fantasy
By Justin Bonhard | May 21, 2025
The St. Louis Blues are in a strong position right now, with a solid roster and a promising future. There’s no reason to jeopardize the progress made during the 2024–25 season by making an overly ambitious move.
Toronto Maple Leafs winger Mitch Marner is expected to be the most sought-after free agent this offseason. Virtually every team will reach out, but he’s likely to sign with the highest contender offering top dollar.
The Blues, however, shouldn’t be one of those teams — and here’s why:
Salary Cap Constraints
While the NHL’s salary cap is increasing by $8.5 million this season, that only means player prices will climb. Agents are poised to demand more, and Marner will command a massive deal.
Some projections place Marner’s next contract north of $14 million annually, possibly even more. For the Blues — who currently have 20 players signed and only $7.75 million in cap space — fitting Marner under the cap is virtually impossible without making major sacrifices.
Spending that much on one player would severely limit flexibility and potentially trigger a cap crunch. The team still needs to fill key roles, and relying on bargain players to round out the roster could upset the team’s structure.
Risk of Disrupting the Top-Six
St. Louis has built excellent chemistry among its top-six forwards: Robert Thomas, Pavel Buchnevich, Jordan Kyrou, Brayden Schenn, Dylan Holloway, and Jake Neighbours — with Jimmy Snuggerud also emerging as a key contributor. Their cohesion was a major factor in the Blues’ 12-game winning streak and first-round playoff victory over Winnipeg.
Inserting a high-profile, high-production player like Marner could throw off that balance. While he would likely improve scoring on paper, the ripple effects could unsettle the existing lines and impact overall performance.
The Bottom Line
Mitch Marner would be an exciting addition, but only for a team in a “win-now” mode — not one just emerging from a rebuild like the Blues. His presence, both in terms of cost and potential disruption, doesn’t fit the current trajectory of the franchise.
For now, the idea of Marner in a Blues uniform should stay where it belongs — in the realm of dreams.
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