Insider provides a surprising update on the Mitch Marner situation
Photo credit: DAN HAMILTON-USA TODAY SPORTS
A trusted NHL Insider has provided a troubling update regarding Mitch Marner and the Toronto Maple Leafs.
According to Chris Johnston of TSN, the Leafs are expected to run it back once again with the "Core 4" before letting Mitch Marner walk in free agency next summer.
The Leafs missed the opportunity to avoid a summer circus this season by not trading Marner or
William Nylander last off-season before their no-movement clauses kicked in. Now that Nylander has a shiny new extension (8x$11.5M), and
John Tavares has said he isn't going anywhere, Marner became the target of much trade speculation.
Will Marner be traded? Will he want to leave? Will he get an extension? Will he walk as a free agent? Those four questions have and will continue to circle the Leafs until a definitive answer is given or until training camp starts.
As the first week of free agency closed, TSN's Chris Johnston was on The Steve Dangle Podcast yesterday, where they discussed free agency and the Leafs' moves at length. Johnston was asked at one point if it was more likely that Marner signs an extension or walks to free agency and Johnston's response was quite surprising.
"It's probably more likely he walks than he signs an extension. Not significantly so, but if we were setting the betting lines now, the favourite would be [he] walks as a free agent, then I would say re-sign is the next favourite. I'm just not sure they are going to give him the option to stay either."
The surprising part of what Johnston said isn't that Marner is more likely to walk than sign an extension, but rather that the Leafs seemingly aren't going to give him the option to sign one.
If the Leafs let Marner walk, it could turn out to be a much bigger mistake than trading him. The 27-year-old has played in 576 regular season games for the Leafs and accumulated 639 points and while he has been called out for 'disappearing' in the playoffs, he has still put up 50 points in 57 playoff games in the blue and white.
Previously on MapleLeafsDaily
POLL |
JUILLET 9 | 860 ANSWERS Insider provides a surprising update on the Mitch Marner situation What will ultimately happen with Mitch Marner? |
Traded | 174 | 20.2 % |
Extension | 437 | 50.8 % |
Walks in free agency | 249 | 29 % |
List of polls |
|
1 hour ago | By Ryan Smitheram Auston Matthews Out Against Sweden With Upper-Body Ailment and Leafs Nation is Concerned |
|
2 hours ago | By Dean Chaudhry Nathan MacKinnon Fires Warning Shot at Team USA Ahead of Highly Anticipated Rematch With Canada |
|
4 hours ago | By Ryan Smitheram Team Canada's Stars Wake Up; Force Grudge Match With U.S. Thursday |
|
7 hours ago | By Mike Armenti Mitch Marner Demoted Yet Again By Team Canada Ahead of Meeting With Finland |
|
9 hours ago | By Nick Matthews Matt Murray Asked to Say Something Nice About Marlies Teammate, Buries Him Instead |
|
10 hours ago | By Mike Armenti Unique Scenario May Present Itself In Canada Vs. Finland Game at 4 Nations Face-Off |
|
11 hours ago | By Dean Chaudhry NHL Reportedly Considering Substantial Change to Uniforms |
|
12 hours ago | By Ryan Smitheram Team Canada Receives Positive News Ahead of Clash with Finland at 4 Nations Face-Off |