Breaking: McKenzie provides stunning update on Mitch Marner and the Leafs!

Leafs may have had it with Marner.

HockeyFeed
HockeyFeed
Published 4 years ago
Breaking: McKenzie provides stunning update on Mitch Marner and the Leafs!
Kostas Lymperopoulos/CSM/Zuma

It seems that the problems between Toronto Maple Leafs star forward Mitch Marner and the Toronto Maple Leafs organization may be far more pronounced than we had originally believed. 

We of course have all heard just about all we can take regarding the ongoing negotiations between the restricted free agent forward and the Maple Leafs, and we have also heard just about every rumor you could imagine on the topic as well. In fact there have been so rumors, including rumored offer sheets from the Montreal Canadiens, Columbus Blue Jackets, and New York Islanders, that is has been difficult to make sense of what is informed speculation and what is nothing but pure junk. 

On Monday however we got a big surprise when TSN National Hockey League insider Bob McKenzie took a break from his vacation to share some insights on the ongoing talks between the two parties. The comments made by McKenzie painted a much more dire picture of the relationship between the Leafs and Marner than anything else I have heard thus far, and in fact it is so bad that it sounds like in many ways the Leafs have had their fill of the negotiations with the star forward.

"As for Marner, my view from afar is that it’s probably close to or at the point where Toronto hopes an offer sheet is tendered," wrote McKenzie. "That would allow/force closure, one way or the other. Match the offer sheet or take the compensation, but it would be done."

It is not hard to imagine that general manager Kyle Dubas has had his fill of contract holdouts after the way the William Nylander situation played out last season, and unfortunately for Dubas it sounds like this one may be headed in the same direction. According to McKenzie there remains a significant gap between the two sides, one he is not sure can be bridge in negotiations.

"Because, unless I’m reading this wrong, there exists a fundamental difference in the perception of value/term between the two sides and it’s going to make getting a negotiated settlement very difficult," said McKenzie before adding "OK, back to vacation. That bike isn’t going to ride itself to town."

We have all heard of the influence of Paul Marner, Mitch's father, in this whole situation and many of you will have seen the videos that leave no doubt into just how overbearing of a parent he truly is. You have to wonder if his influence on his son's career may end up costing him his future as a Maple Leaf given how far apart McKenzie believes the 2 parties to be.


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