Mitch Marner throws a wrench in Maple Leafs’ plans!
This is not going to help GM Brad Treliving who held a press conference on Thursday. Full story below:
In his end-of-season press conference, Toronto Maple Leafs GM Brad Treliving made it clear that significant changes were coming. It sure sounds like Mitch Marner will not be returning as most insiders expect to see him test free agency on July 1st. Many rumours have him out of Toronto with pundits hinting at possible scenarios over the summer.
We recently shared one of those possible scenarios in which Treliving would sit down with Marner and ask for a shortlist of preferred destinations — ideally five to seven teams. This approach respects the player’s wishes while allowing Toronto to explore realistic trade options. It provided a possible sign and trade scenario that would send Marner to the Los Angeles Kings.
However, insider Darren Dreger believes it is very unlikely that Marner is willing to help the Maple Leafs with the sign and trade route.
“There have been some market speculations well could they trade Marner’s rights and would he be interested, if it were going to the right fit in pursuing that because in that case it’d be a sign and trade and he’d get the 8-year, and I don’t think that motivates the Marner side too much,” Dreger explained on TSN’s OverDrive with Bryan Hayes, Jeff O’Neill and Jamie McLennan.
Not easy to ask Marner to commit before hitting the open market, especially if Dreger is adamant that he’s not interested in helping Toronto with such a move.
Marner recorded 27 goals and a career-high 102 points in 81 games with the Maple Leafs this season while playing out the last of a of a six-year, $65.41 million contract that carried an annual cap hit of $10.9 million . The 28-year-old forward added two goals and 13 points in 13 playoff games.
As Treliving faced media members in his press conference on Thursday, it sure sounded like he was hinting at Marner’s departure and not a bold sign and trade deal.
