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TSN Radio Host Suggests Leafs' Mitch Marner in for a Rude Awakening This Summer
Photo credit: John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images
TSN radio host Bryan Hayes suggested this week that Maple Leafs star Mitch Marner may be in for a rude awakening if he does go to free agency this summer.
Toronto Maple Leafs forward Mitch Marner is a pending UFA and is set to cash in on the open market with one of several teams that will be vying to acquire his services.
While there remains the possibility that Marner could return to the Leafs, speculation continues to build that he could be heading West, with teams like the Los Angeles Kings, Anaheim Ducks, Vegas Golden Knights, and even the Utah Mammoth being named as possibilities.
During a recent segment of TSN's OverDrive, host Bryan Hayes speculated that NHL clubs may not be willing to offer Mitch Marner more AAV (average annual value) than Mikko Rantanen earned recently ($12 million per season) with the Dallas Stars.
"It also could be about getting the most money, period. And there's a chance that he gets out there and the rest of the League goes, 'I'm not paying you a penny more than Rantanen. You have $12 (million), that's it.''
Maybe the Leafs offered him $13 (million). Maybe he snaps back and goes, 'Wait a minute, with the Leafs I could make the most money, I could make the most money if they still want me at the reported price tag they were kicking around!'"
Maybe the Leafs offered him $13 (million). Maybe he snaps back and goes, 'Wait a minute, with the Leafs I could make the most money, I could make the most money if they still want me at the reported price tag they were kicking around!'"
Hayes then wondered that if the Leafs choose to let Marner or fellow pending UFA John Tavares depart the team, GM Brad Treliving would feel as though he made good on his recent comments to change the overall DNA of the club.
"I guess the question is, if just one of them goes, is that enough for him to be able to say that 'I changed the DNA'?"
During his end-of-season press conference, Treliving indicated that the Leafs needed to make some changes that would shift the overall DNA of the club following their latest playoff collapse to try and get a different result.
"There's some DNA that has to change in our team. If you keep getting to the same result -- and that's not to dismiss a lot of the good that happened up to it. When you keep getting the same result, there's some DNA that needs to change."
Despite a scoring drought to end the postseason, Rantanen was on fire through the opening 2 rounds of the playoffs for the Stars. He also has won a Stanley Cup with the Colorado Avalanche (2022) earlier in his career. There's no question, at this point, that he is a more valuable winger than Mitch Marner.
| POLL | ||
JUIN 3 | 7296 ANSWERS TSN Radio Host Suggests Leafs' Mitch Marner in for a Rude Awakening This Summer Should Mitch Marner earn a higher AAV than Mikko Rantanen? | ||
| Yes | 1169 | 16 % |
| No | 6127 | 84 % |
| List of polls | ||
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