As the Toronto Maple Leafs gear up for another postseason run, one of the biggest questions hanging over the franchise isn’t just how far they’ll go during this season’s playoff run. It’s what happens next with Mitch Marner. With unrestricted free agency looming and familiar conversations about salary cap trade-offs swirling, it’s easy to forget one thing: Marner still has the chance to help create something rare in Toronto — the NHL’s best first line.

What strikes me is why he would even consider walking away from the chance to create greatness. In short, Marner should stay just to help the Maple Leafs build one of the great NHL first lines in history. Overstating? Maybe. But, there is that chance that his partnership with the best goal-scorer of his generation, Auston Matthews, and the rapidly emerging Matthew Knies could be the stuff of history.

Why even think about leaving?

The Maple Leafs Have a Line Built to Win Now and Into the Future

The trio of Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, and Matthew Knies has the potential to be special. Matthews is already among the league’s most dominant scorers. Knies is growing into a true power forward with touch around the net. And Marner is the connector. He’s a dynamic playmaker with elite hockey sense who brings it all together. They’re a modern-day line built the old-school way: scorer, setup man, and grinder with high-end skill.

This isn’t a hypothetical. It’s already happening. All three can score 30+ goals, kill penalties, and play strong two-way hockey. The chemistry is there, the fit is natural, and most importantly — it’s only just beginning to reach its ceiling. This line might be the long-awaited answer for the Maple Leafs, a franchise often criticized for lacking playoff success.

If Marner Has a Sense of Legacy, He Won’t Walk Away From Greatness

There’s a business side to all of this, of course. If Marner were to leave, the Maple Leafs could spend his $13–14 million elsewhere. But finding a replacement with the same chemistry, skill, and all-around impact — is far from guaranteed. Great lines are rare. Matthews and Marner have already been together for going on a decade. Knies’ emergence strengthens the case to keep building, not start over.

Marner has a choice: walk away from something with championship potential or stay and be part of a line that could define this era of Maple Leafs hockey. In a league built on thin margins, that kind of continuity — and opportunity — is worth holding on to.

Related: Maple Leafs & Lightning: Wide-Open But No High-Danger Chances