Mitch Marner is in his final year of contract with the Leafs.
He will be free as a bird next summer if he does not agree by then with Brad Treliving (GM) on the terms of a new agreement.
There’s not much talk between the two sides right now, but Marner says he’s open to the idea of negotiating during the season.
The Leafs star told Elliotte Friedman he wants to focus on the Leafs’ success, but he’s also thinking about his contract situation.
This is normal, because it can be stressful for a player who is trying to find out what the future holds.
Marner therefore wants to leave the situation in the hands of his agent and he also says he is ready to intervene if necessary if things get a little complicated.
That said, it’s rare to see a player be so open about his own contract situation.
And it’s also rare to see a player willing to negotiate during the season because it can quickly become a popular topic in the room and because it can create distractions around the team:
Wanting to negotiate and “being open” to the idea of negotiating are not the same thing.
Mitch Marner would have liked to sign a contract extension before the start of the season to avoid certain comments and that is understandable too.
After all, everyone knows the player’s value (he has proven himself) and with all the rumors about him in the last few months, it is normal to think that he has had enough and just wants to sign a new contract.
Because Marner wants to play in Toronto. He said it repeatedly during the end-of-season review in Toronto last May.
However, one has to wonder if his wish will come true. Especially with Auston Matthews and William Nylander each signing very, very lucrative long-term contracts in the past year.
Will Brad Treliving still want to have (at least) three players on his roster who are making more than $10 million per season? If not, will he want to try to trade Marner before next summer, so as not to lose him for nothing?
All of which is to say that the Leafs have a serious problem on their hands… and it could get complicated pretty quickly if Marner has another big season.
In a burst
– Please note:
– He has the potential to break everything.
– Boom!
– Oops…
