Recent speculations suggest Mitch Marner might consider signing a short-term contract instead of a long-term deal. The 28-year-old right winger has completed a six-year deal with the Toronto Maple Leafs [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/toronto-maple-leafs] and is expected to test the UFA market on July 1. With the salary cap expected to rise significantly in the coming years, James Mirtle of The Athletic suggested stars like Marner and Edmonton Oilers [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/edmonton-oilers] captain Connor McDavid could prefer short-term contracts [https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6441594/2025/06/22/nhl-free-agency-mitch-marner-connor-mcdavid-deals/], enabling them to cash in again under a higher salary cap [https://thehockeynews.com/news/latest-news/the-nhl-could-see-a-contract-explosion-with-a-higher-cap-ceiling] while still in their playing prime. Mirtle's colleague Pierre LeBrun reported [https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6442128/2025/06/21/nhl-free-agency-rumblings-marner-mcdavid-tavares/] the “rumor de jour” had Marner signing a two-year contract between $12 million and $13 million. However, Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman reported [https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article/32-thoughts-connor-mcdavid-contract-nhls-top-summer-storyline/] he'd received pushback on his suggestion that soon-to-be former Maple Leaf might accept a short-term deal. As for potential suitors, Friedman recently observed recent conjecture suggesting [https://www.sportsnet.ca/podcasts/32-thoughts/will-everything-come-up-vegas-on-july-1st/] the Vegas Golden Knights [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/vegas-golden-knights] could be the team to beat for Marner's services. [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/toronto-maple-leafs/latest-news/report-clubs-view-vegas-golden-knights-as-team-to-beat-in-mitch-marner-sweepstakes-as-maple-leafs-free-agent-hits-market] Mitch Marner (Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Images) [https://deweb-519a7.b-cdn.net/post-images/5db8dcd9-7918-40f7-b29c-d19c2e17f137.jpeg] Mitch Marner (Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Images) Speaking of UFA forwards, Sam Bennett raised a stir [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/florida-panthers/latest-news/sam-bennett-makes-massive-announcement-about-panthers-future] last week when he told Florida [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/florida-panthers] partygoers that he's not leaving the Panthers. His remarks gave the impression that the 29-year-old Conn Smythe Trophy winner had a contract extension in place. Bennett has completed a four-year contract with an average annual value of $4.425 million. His gritty two-way style played a significant role in the Panthers' back-to-back Stanley Cup championships, which would make him the top center available if he goes to market on July 1. [https://thehockeynews.com/news/latest-news/nhl-free-agency-top-six-pending-ufa-centers] However, Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman reported [https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article/32-thoughts-connor-mcdavid-contract-nhls-top-summer-storyline/] Saturday that sources say the brakes are being pumped on the extension talk. While he thinks Bennett wouldn't have made that announcement if he didn't know how negotiations are going, there has been no agreement. As of this writing, that remains the case. Meanwhile, the ongoing contract stalemate between the Minnesota Wild and Marco Rossi has made the 23-year-old center a fixture of late in the NHL rumor mill [https://thehockeynews.com/news/latest-news/nhl-rumor-roundup-the-latest-on-mitch-marner-nicolas-hague-and-marco-rossi]. The Hockey News’ Dylan Loucks recently cited The Athletic's Pierre LeBrun reporting [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/minnesota-wild/latest-news/report-marco-rossi-gaining-interest-from-vancouver-canucks] the Vancouver Canucks [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/vancouver-canucks] were among the clubs interested in Rossi. On June 19, LeBrun's colleague Michael Russo and Joe Smith indicated [https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6438347/2025/06/19/wild-trade-tiers-offseason/?source=emp_shared_article] the Canucks may have offered up their first-round pick (15th overall) in the upcoming NHL draft. Patrick Johnston of The Province cited a source [https://theprovince.com/sports/hockey/nhl/vancouver-canucks/canucks-make-trade-offer-for-wilds-marco-rossi] confirming the Canucks pitched their first-rounder along with a player, though it's uncertain if it was a roster player or prospect. The Canucks must do better than that to land the Minnesota center. Russo and Smith claim Wild GM Bill Guerin wants a player who can replace Rossi's production, saying he'd prefer a center but would also accept a scoring winger. They noted the Wild have been linked to JJ Peterka [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/buffalo-sabres/latest-news/report-sabres-now-listening-on-jj-peterka] of the Buffalo Sabres [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/buffalo-sabres]. Guerin downplayed the speculation [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/minnesota-wild/latest-news/the-narrative-out-there-is-that-we-are-dying-to-trade-him-that-s-not-the-case-at-all-wild-gm-bill-guerin-shines-light-on-marco-rossi-situation], telling a local network that his club isn't dying to trade Rossi. He praised the youngster, but added that the Wild are trying to sign him to a deal that fits their price range. 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