Mitch Marner has been rumored to be on his way out of Toronto since the Maple Leafs’ elimination in the first round of this year’s playoffs, but Marner appears to have other plans.
According to Sportsnet’s Justin Bourne, Marner intends to stay in Toronto for the final year of his current contract. The 27-year-old winger has a full no-move clause, giving him complete control over his future for the 2024-25 season.
“The only way it would make sense to do anything other than [stay in Toronto] is if he gets to go exactly where he would’ve chosen [in free agency] anyway immediately, in a trade and with the extension he wants,” Bourne writes. “That way he wouldn’t have to endure a hellish year under the microscope in Toronto and get his ‘vindication tour’ started a skosh earlier. But hard as it might be, make no mistake: the motto in Team Marner’s head is stay and play and go UFA.”
Marner, Toronto’s first-round pick in the 2015 draft, is the only core member outside of veteran John Tavares who hasn’t signed a long-term extension, making him a prime candidate for a move. The Ontario native had another productive season, tallying 85 points (26 goals, 59 assists) in 69 games, though his playoff performance lagged with just three points (1 goal, 2 assists) in seven games.
Marner’s current contract pays him over $10.9 million against the cap, and while he is eligible for extension talks this summer, he has no desire to discuss it until the fall, according to The Athletic’s Pierre LeBrun. “The focus for Marner is on honoring the remaining year of his contract and seeing where things go from there,” LeBrun writes.
If Marner refuses to move in a trade, Toronto will likely try to extend him to avoid losing him for nothing in free agency. Marner was recently seen meeting with new head coach Craig Berube.
Since his rookie season in 2016-17, Marner ranks sixth in the NHL in assists (445) and 10th in overall points (639). He is third among wingers in assists, behind only Nikita Kucherov and Artemi Panarin.
In the meantime, the Maple Leafs have other offseason priorities. Tavares is eligible for an extension, young restricted free agents Nicholas Robertson and Timothy Liljegren need new contracts, and key players like Tyler Bertuzzi and Max Domi are set to become UFAs.
Additionally, there is mutual interest in retaining rugged defenseman Joel Edmundson, whom Toronto acquired from the Washington Capitals at this year’s trade deadline in exchange for two draft picks. Edmundson recorded one assist in 16 combined regular season and playoff games for the Maple Leafs.
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