Mitch Marner has full control over where he plays next season despite frequent speculation the Toronto Maple Leafs could trade him.
Mitch MarnerSpeculation over Mitch Marner's future with the Toronto Maple Leafs has been churning since the Leafs' elimination from the playoffs a month ago.
Some observers wondered if the Nashville Predators trading Ryan McDonagh back to the Tampa Bay Lightning last month was their attempt to clear cap space to swing a trade for Marner. However, Predators GM Barry Trotz quickly dismissed that talk as “just rumors.”
As the Leafs' off-season progresses, it seems increasingly likely that Marner will remain in Toronto next season.
The first hint came on May 27 as Marner was photographed sharing a coffee with new Leafs coach Craig Berube in Toronto.
The Hockey News' Evan Doerfler cited Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman, indicating that he'd been told that we shouldn't be surprised if this situation plays out during next season.
“This is such a delicate conversation between player and team because everyone is determined to look like a winner here,” said Friedman.
If the Leafs trade Marner this summer, Friedman believes it must be for significant assets or to free up enough salary-cap space to make another substantial addition. Marner carries a $10.9-million cap hit for next season, the last under his current contract.
Meanwhile, Nick Barden cited The Athletic's Pierre LeBrun reporting the Marner camp wants to let next season unfold and see what happens. He's focused on honoring the final year of his deal and hasn't submitted any list of preferred trade destinations. Marner has a full no-movement clause and cannot be traded or waived without his permission.
LeBrun also indicated there seems to be little appetite to discuss a contract extension this summer. There could be talks later on depending on how the season goes. David Alter also cited LeBrun reporting Leafs GM Brad Treliving acknowledged Marner holds all the cards in this situation. However, Treliving stated he wouldn't trade the winger simply for the sake of doing so.
A lot can happen during this summer. The Leafs could receive a trade offer that's too good to pass up from a club that Marner would consider a suitable trade destination.
However, that possibility has shrunk over the past month as the difficulty of moving Marner's contract becomes the key factor.
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