Entering the final year of a six-year contract, Marner is set to become an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season.
Entering the final year of a six-year contract, Marner is set to become an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season.
With the 2024-25 NHL season rapidly approaching, the contract situation of Toronto Maple Leafs star winger Mitch Marner is expected to be a major talking point throughout the year. Marner, who is entering the final year of a six-year, $65.41 million contract, will become an unrestricted free agent at the end of the 2024-25 campaign.
Despite summer speculation about whether Marner would suit up in the blue and white this fall, all indications are that he will remain with the team. However, the focus now shifts to his contractual situation beyond this season. NHL Insider Darren Dreger appeared on TSN’s First Up with Aaron Korolnek and Carlo Colaiacovo on Monday, saying he believes there is no pressing urgency from either side to get an extension done quickly.
“I think they're in a good place,” Dreger said. “But I don't want to misconstrue that, with the belief that an extension is looming, that it's going to happen quickly. Obviously, it's going to be a top-of-mind big story from the beginning of training camp and probably the beginning of the training camp until the day that an extension is committed and announced. But I don't have the sense that that's going to happen anytime soon. And I think both sides are okay with that, right?”
The 27-year-old has been a key member of the club’s ‘Core Four’ since 2016, alongside teammates Auston Matthews, William Nylander, and John Tavares. The 2024-25 season is an important one given the expectations and offseason additions to help bolster the lineup, and Marner seems committed to focusing on the upcoming year rather than discussing his future contract.
“Marner knows that this is yet another big year for that young leadership group, and he's a huge part of that. So he's focused on a good start for himself, for his team.”
Part of that preparation has been training with two of the league's top players, Sidney Crosby and Nathan MacKinnon, in Vail, Colorado.
“I know that he's been training with Sidney Crosby and Nathan McKinnon and a group in Vail, Colorado, under the leadership of Andy O'Brien. So he's been training with them. He's putting in his time this summer,” Dreger noted.
While a long-term extension remains a possibility, it's something both Marner and the Leafs seem inclined to pursue. However, the timing has to be right for both parties. According to Dreger, there’s an ongoing dialogue between Marner’s agent, Darren Ferris, and Leafs general manager Brad Treliving, but the talks understandably haven’t reached a critical stage.
“I don't get the sense that there's contract pressure on Marner. He's happy for it to be quiet. There's good dialogue between Darren Ferris and Brad Treliving. They've got a good relationship. But they're not in heavy negotiations. And again, both sides are okay with that,” Dreger reiterated. “Not to say that that can't ramp up at some point in season. But there doesn't appear to be a rush at this stage.”
“Obviously, a long-term extension is a possibility. And I believe that's what Marner wants. I think the Toronto Maple Leafs are keenly interested in that, provided it makes long-term sense. And nobody is at that place just yet.”
There is no dancing around it, Marner’s contract poses a challenge. The forward holds a no-movement clause for the 2024-25 season and the Leafs risk losing his services in NHL free agency come July if no extension is in place. Perhaps the most complicated aspect of this is the trade deadline window, in which they’d need Marner’s permission to move him if contract talks go south. Regardless, the understanding is that the former first-round pick will earn significant pay either way – with or without the Leafs.
“But look at the limited options from Toronto's perspective, right? We know, of course, about the no-move clause. We know that he's going into the final year of his deal. And beyond that, you've got unrestricted free agency. So if they don't get a long-term deal agreed to in season, how complicated does it get around the trade deadline? If things aren't going the way of the Maple Leafs, can they simply allow Mitch Marner to walk? I mean, those are just some of the conversations that we're going to continue to have. And maybe you don't have to have those conversations in September, October, or November," Dreger explained.
“But as you creep closer into 2025, and there is no long-term contract looming, there hasn't been any sort of hard-bolt negotiations, then it becomes more of a talking point on an hour-by-hour basis in this market. But I do think that there's a good appetite from both sides to get something done. And there's a realization from the organization's standpoint that Marner is going to get paid again, and he is going to get paid well.”
Marner has spent all eight seasons of his NHL career as a Leaf and has reiterated his intentions to remain one beyond the 2024-25 season. In 69 regular season games in 2023-24, Marner had 85 points (26G, 59A) before adding three points (1G, 2A) in the club’s opening-round playoff series against the Boston Bruins.
As the new season nears, contract discussions remain on the back burner – for now.
Related
News from THN.com
Eight More NHL Goalies with New Creative Masks Ahead of the 2024-25 Season
'Universally Adored': Blue Jackets Players, GM Express Grief At Loss of Johnny Gaudreau, Brother
Opinion: Bruins Fans Should Feel Fortunate GM Sweeney Is On Case In Swayman Contract Saga