The Toronto Maple Leafs have no interest in signing Mitch Marner to a contract extension, according to Frank Seravalli of Daily Faceoff, who was a guest on Sportsnet 590 radio on Monday morning. This is in contrast to rumors that suggest otherwise.
Additionally, Seravalli stated that there's a good chance the Toronto Maple Leafs will deal Mitch Marner this week if that's the plan. The NHL Entry Draft and the start of free agency, which both occur within the next seven days, typically witness a spike in activity and the heating up of trade talks.
If a deal were to occur, it is understandable why Marner would be the most sensible piece to give up from their core. He can play on the first line and first powerplay unit, is still a young player, and has the potential to be a reliable player who scores 90 points or more in a regular season. Despite his setbacks during the Stanley Cup Playoffs, Marner is unquestionably one of the best players in the game.
All the remaining members of the 'Core 4' are probably untouchable or immobile. Even though John Tavares just has one year left on his contract, his contract likely makes him immovable because it would be difficult for a team to fit a $11 million cap on their books. Regarding Auston Matthews and William Nylander, they are both probably invincible and will be indispensable players for the Toronto Maple Leafs in the future.
Undoubtedly, Marner's skills will be highly valued by a number of teams, but the cost will also be substantial. Teams will want to take advantage of the fact that Marner, 27, still has a lot of years left in his prime, which might spark a bidding war.
Source: Blade of Steel
Insider says no truth to Marner extension rumours, trade could come this week
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Will the Toronto Maple Leafs trade Mitch Marner this week? | ||
Yes | 87 | 60.4 % |
No | 57 | 39.6 % |
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