Insider: Maple Leafs ‘Have Not Decided’ if They Will Trade $65 Million Winger due to ….
The Toronto Maple Leafs haven’t decided if they will trade forward Mitch Marner, NHL insider Chris Johnston of SDPN reported.
Ever since the Maple Leafs were eliminated from the playoffs, Marner has been the focus of trade whispers. The winger signed a six-year, $65.4 million contract in 2019 and is now in the final year of it. According to Johnston, Toronto hasn’t decided whether to move Marner, despite the fact that Marner’s name has been included in numerous trade speculations.
“At this time, the Leafs are not depending on Mitch Marner. They’re going to cause discomfort, they haven’t determined for sure that they have to trade him, and they’re obtaining the list of names. Johnston stated on The Chris Johnston Show that none of that is the situation.
According to Johnston, the plan for the Maple Leafs is to see what the market for Marner is before approaching him on moving his no-movement clause.
“I think there’s some frustration just about all the public discourse about it. That’s the nature of the beast when you’re that player, snd when the possibilities are on the table that we’re talking about. But at this point in time, I believe the Leafs have not made a contract with them, nor have they contacted them to request a list or anything like, Johnston stated.
“The Leafs are quietly assessing whether there is a trade market and, if so, they will move it forward and see if Mitch Marner is open to considering that move. It does not make sense for them to go to war with this player or to make this any more public than it already is,” Johnston continued.
Marner scored 85 points last year in 69 games during the regular season with 26 goals and 59 assists. He added one goal and two assists for three points in the playoffs.
Marner Could be a Maple Leaf Next Season
Despite Marner being the subject of plenty of trade rumors, Johnston isn’t ruling out the skilled winger being on the Maple Leafs roster next season.
“I wouldn’t be that surprised,” Johnston said. “It seems as though he’s comfortable playing out his free-agent year. The only reason I believe it would be necessary is were he found himself in a situation this summer where he needed an extension and didn’t feel ready to go into that final season.
“That Mitch Marner is prepared to play this out until the summer of next year and maybe pursue free agency at that time. I believe there’s a good chance he stays with the Maple Leafs. It’s far too soon to say that will occur, and I won’t be making that claim,” Johnston continued.
If the Maple Leafs decide to move Marner, according to Johnston, they need make sure that Marner wants to go to the new location and that the transaction will provide Toronto a Stanley Cup.
Marner Linked to Vegas
The Vegas Golden Knights may be the Maple Leafs’ first choice if they want to trade Marner.
During an appearance on The Leaf’s Nation podcast, NHL insider Elliotte Friedman discussed a possible trade deal containing Golden Knights goalkeeper Logan Thompson.
“Someone told me, for instance, that one of the problems with Marner is that a lot of people assume Vegas will be around him because Vegas is astute and will be around any talented player. Thus, I’m getting people to speculate that Shea Theodore and Logan Thompson are connected to me,” Friedman said.
Additionally, Marner has been connected to the Nashville Predators in a trade including goalie Juuse Saros.
