2026 Conditional First Round Pick (lottery protected). If Toronto chooses to keep the pick, it will instead transfer their 2027 First Round Pick (unprotected)

Toronto needs to save their elite assets to get real talent. Arizona can be happy they get to upgrade one of their three 2nds to a 1st.

Conditional 2025 2nd Round Pick*

If DET make the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs and Marner plays in 50% of the regular season games, or DET make the 2025 Stanley Cup playoffs, the pick becomes DET 2025 1st.

That Detroit 2025 Pick is lottery protected and if they so choose to hold onto the pick, it will instead transfer their 2026 First Round Pick (unprotected)

The Red Wings reward themselves with an elite top line winger and didn’t have to significantly mortgage the future. All it costed was two elite rentals who probably didn’t fit into the Wings long term plans and a pair of 2nds (one of them being a first if they make the dance).

Raymond, Marner as the 1-2 punch gives the Wings elite wingers for years to come and they still get to hold onto their most valuable assets (their draft capital).

It’s as clear as day that Toronto cannot run the Core 4 again. Something needs to give and shedding Mitch Marner’s contract will give them the space to fill out the rest of the roster.

How do they use this newfound capspace? Get two elite rentals from the Red Wings who both potted 20 goals this past season. They also played a lot of games on the top line and each would’ve fetched a 1st in an individual trade.

Since they are rentals, Toronto now has the cap space to pay Matthew’s and Nylander accordingly at the end of next season.