Mitch Marner, after a career year during the regular season, is headed for unrestricted free agency. Things appeared to be trending towards a historic, lengthy extension with the Toronto Maple Leafs. However, following yet another dismal playoff showing and a Game 7 loss, Marner’s future is much less certain.
He’ll likely have suitors, but TSN’s Darren Dreger is not sure whether or not Toronto is highly motivated to engage in a bidding war for him. He took to Twitter on Monday to share his thoughts:
“I think that Toronto was comfortable at one point of paying Mitch Marner on a mega extension of eight years, upwards of $13.5 million per year.”
Now that their season is over and they have the benefit of seeing how Marner and the team fared in the playoffs, Dreger isn’t sure that the Leafs will be willing to approach that number anymore.
Marner has been a key member of the Core Four and with the team for nine seasons now, but that Core Four has routinely come up short. This time, the Florida Panthers embarrassed them on home ice to send them packing with a 6-1 Game 7, and it might’ve ended Marner’s Maple Leafs tenure.
Mitch Marner quiet on Maple Leafs future
Mitch Marner didn’t have much time to process the end to his season before being asked what he thought was next in his NHL career, and he didn’t have much to say.
After Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Playoffs series, Marner said via NHL.com:
“I don’t have any thoughts on that right now. I mean, pretty devastated with what just happened. Yeah, devastated. I’ve always enjoyed this team and this city, like I always said.”
He also reflected on playing with captain Auston Matthews:
“Playing with Auston, it’s been amazing. I mean, everyone on this team, so many skilled guys, but obviously, playing with Auston for the last six, seven years, whatever it’s been, it makes the game easy. And you know, he’s one of the best for a reason.”
Marner’s free agency this year could throw a wrench in his ability to anchor that top line with Matthews for the Maple Leafs in the future.
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Edited by John Maxwell
