Leafs' Mitch Marner About to Get a Harsh Dose of Reality in Free Agency, Per Insider
Photo credit: John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images
With Maple Leafs winger Mitch Marner preparing for free agency, prominent NHL Insider Elliotte Friedman is reporting that he is about to get a harsh dose of reality.
After yet another early post-season exit for the Maple Leafs, the need for change has never been more apparent in Toronto, and unfortunately, that change is appearing more and more likely to start with the departure of star winger Mitch Marner.
Marner has been linked to a number of contending teams, including the Carolina Hurricanes and the Vegas Golden Knights, but Marner could become the highest-paid player in the NHL if he's willing to sign with a rebuilding team like the Anaheim Ducks, San Jose Sharks or Chicago Blackhawks.
Mitch Marner is in for a Rude Awakening on July 1st
According to Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman, though, if Marner wants to drag out the process of selecting a new team, a few of his preferred destinations may give him a rude awakening.
In his most recent edition of 32 Thoughts: The Podcast, Friedman suggested that contending teams will not sit around until mid-July waiting for Marner to make a decision. In fact, he flat out stated that contending teams will present Marner with an ultimatum: sign quickly, or miss out on a preferred destination.
"What happens if a team Marner really likes says 'here's our offer on July 1st, and it's on the table until tomorrow, because we can't afford to wait for you to go through a process like this.
We have to know, because the answer is you're not coming, we have to race to plan B'. So, that might be the plan, but a few teams said to me that someone is gonna go in there and say 'we're not doing this, here's our offer, you've got X (and it's going to be quick) to take it or leave it'.
They guarantee someone is going to go in there and force Marner to make a decision, because teams can't afford to wait."
We have to know, because the answer is you're not coming, we have to race to plan B'. So, that might be the plan, but a few teams said to me that someone is gonna go in there and say 'we're not doing this, here's our offer, you've got X (and it's going to be quick) to take it or leave it'.
They guarantee someone is going to go in there and force Marner to make a decision, because teams can't afford to wait."
Marner was originally expected to take his time making his decision, with the time frame of mid-July to select his new NHL team. As it turns out, if he hopes to sign with a contender, the decision may have to be a whole lot quicker than he'd like.
We don't yet know how this will all unfold, but if Marner wants to dictate the terms, he may find himself playing for a rebuilding team come July, because those teams are the only ones who can afford to wait it out.
| POLL | ||
JUIN 20 | 7011 ANSWERS Leafs' Mitch Marner About to Get a Harsh Dose of Reality in Free Agency, Per Insider Will Mitch Marner sign with a contender or with a rebuilding team? | ||
| Contender | 4008 | 57.2 % |
| Rebuilding team | 3003 | 42.8 % |
| List of polls | ||
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