Following the NHL trade deadline, there has been plenty of noise surrounding the Toronto Maple Leafs and Mitch Marner for several reasons. To this point, Marner is a pending UFA and does not want to enter negotiations for his new contract. In training camp at the beginning of the season, Marner announced to the media that he wasn’t interested in talking about his contract. Furthermore, it became clear as the season went on that there would be no discussions or negotiations between the player and the team.
Since then, Marner’s request has been granted. For the last five months, it’s been very rare for a question about his future in Toronto to come up. However, it is becoming a popular topic again after reports about a trade that almost happened on Friday’s trade deadline involving Marner. The Maple Leafs and the Carolina Hurricanes discussed two potential trades that both involved Mikko Rantanen. The first one consisted of two first-round picks, Fraser Minten and Easton Cowan to the Canes.
The other deal was a potential blockbuster that would’ve had Marner go to Carolina for Rantanen. Furthermore, the understanding was Rantanen was ready to sign an extension with Toronto too. In the process, Leafs’ management asked Marner if he would waive his no-movement clause. This whole situation is why the contract discussions in the media have picked up again and for great reason. Now, uncertainty surrounds Marner and his commitment to the Maple Leafs, even if he planned to play out the year.
Why Toronto Needs to Keep Marner
Rantanen ended up being traded to and signing with the Dallas Stars. He inked an eight-year deal at $12 million per season. While he signed with a team that plays in the Central Division, securing that new deal affects the Maple Leafs in a big way. Now that Rantanen is signed, there is no backup plan if Marner doesn’t stay with the Leafs. Toronto’s leading scorer now becomes the top free agent on the market and has all the leverage in negotiations. On top of all that, he’s having the best season of his nine-year career. That sets him up for a massive pay raise and it could be well over $13 million AAV if he decides to hit the open market.
While the situation at this point is out of general manager Brad Treliving’s hands, it is critical to extend Marner in the offseason. Without him, there is a huge hole in Toronto’s lineup. Not many NHL players can create plays, put up points, and excel defensively, let alone in the next class of free agency. The best available forwards in the offseason who are younger than 30 will be Brock Boeser, Nikolaj Ehlers and Sam Bennett. However, it’s not guaranteed they’ll be available when July 1 comes around.
Other Options For The Maple Leafs
If Marner decides to sign elsewhere, it will be a tough reality check for the Maple Leafs and their fans. However, after consolation, there is an opportunity for Toronto to add more depth to the team like never before. With the salary cap projected to rise, they’ll also get Marner’s $10.9 million off their books. That money can be used to sign two or three solid players to help strengthen their roster.
There are plenty of players that the Leafs could add from free agency with that money. Trent Frederic, Jack Roslovic, and Ryan Donato could all be added in the same window. Not to mention the list of D-men such as Aaron Ekblad, Jakob Chychrun, and Neal Pionk. Toronto could also chase older veterans with a winning pedigree like Patrick Kane — who’s having a solid season — and Brad Marchand.
Nonetheless, it will be up to Marner. The near future of his career and the franchise is in his hands. It’ll be fascinating to see where it goes.
Main Photo Credit: Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images
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