As soon as the final horn sounded after the Toronto Maple Leafs' 6-1 loss to the Florida Panthers in Game 7 of their second-round series, Mitch Marner was the very last player to leave the ice. He looked like a player who may have played his last game with the club.

Is that the case?

The pending unrestricted free agent met the media again at the Leafs' end-of-season availability and was asked point-blank about his future with the club.

"Always loved having time here. I loved being here," Marner said. "Like I said to you guys the other night, I've been so grateful. I haven't processed anything yet. It's still so fresh. It's just so fresh."

‘It’s Meant Everything’: Mitch Marner Reflects On Maple Leafs Tenure As Uncertainty, Change Loom Following Another Game 7 Loss After another disastrous Game 7 showing from the Toronto Maple Leafs, change feels inevitable.

Marner has consistently expressed his love for his time in Toronto and gratitude for being a Leaf, he has been notably elusive about explicitly stating his desire to return to the team. This time, the Leafs desire for change could be mutual following another playoff disappointment with core consisting of himself, Auston Matthews, William Nylander and John Tavares (also an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season.

During the last season, Marner' camp made it clear that there would be no in-season extension talks with Marner himself consistently declining to discuss contract matters publicly, stating his focus was on hockey and helping the team win. Despite Marner's public neutrality, there have been reports of Marner's desire to possibly play elsewhere. Marner's agent, Darren Ferris, has a track record of taking his clients to July 1 and Marner has the right to do that now. 

Maple Leafs’ Craig Berube Would ‘100 Percent’ Like To Retain Pending Unrestricted Free Agents Mitch Marner, John Tavares Just two days after a season-ending 6-1 loss to the Florida Panthers in Game 7 of the second-round series in the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs, the Toronto Maple Leafs held their end-of-season media availability.

The star forward signed a six-year extension with Toronto back in 2019, and the Leafs gave the player a full no-move contract in the final two years of the deal. Once July 1, 2023, passed, the star had the right to block any deal to be moved, which he did in March when Toronto came to him with a trade possibility to the Carolina Hurricanes for star forward Mikko Rantanen (Rantanen was later traded to the Dallas Stars).

Marner discussed the factors that will go into deciding his future, he continued to reflect on his time as a Leaf and playing hockey in the city he grew up in, Auston Matthews' first year as captain and more:

'You Feel Their Disappointment': Maple Leafs React To Fans Throwing Jerseys And Debris On The Ice After Game 7 Elimination It got ugly in a hurry.

Q: Mitch, you control your own future. What will go into the decision for you? What's important for you, wherever you land next season in terms of family, money, team?

I mean, like I just said, it's so fresh that, you know, it's tough to really think about anything right now, but going forward and future-wise, it's, you know, I was hoping to be playing a hockey game tonight, and that's not the outcome, and I haven't thought about anything, you know. Next coming weeks, I'll sit down with my wife, and I'll start talking and trying to figure out what the next steps are.

Q: Mitch, hockey aside, what's it been like to live in a city during these years when you've been in Maple Leaf?

It's been amazing. It's been ups and downs obviously like I was just saying if you want to win every year you really do you feel the love and the passion in this city and you're forever grateful for that it's one of the best cities to live in in the world and I've been forever grateful to be not just grow up here but to be able to wear this Maple Leaf and be a part of the history and this team.

Reports: Hurricanes Asked Maple Leafs For Mitch Marner In Exchange For Mikko Rantanen Before NHL Trade Deadline Marner is in the final season of a six-year contract he signed with Toronto in September 2019.

Q: Having said all that, how difficult would it be to leave this team? I know that is not a decision that you've made, but how difficult would it be to move on?

Yeah, I mean, I know I keep saying the same things, but it's tough to process at this moment. Like I keep saying, it's so fresh. It's 24 hours after our season ending. I haven't thought about anything. I haven't sat down with my wife. I haven't talked to her about the future, next steps. And like I said, that will be in the next couple weeks. We'll do that and we'll start figuring stuff out. But I've been, like I said, forever grateful, especially with this group.

Q: Have you ever taken a giant step back at the end of the season and wondered why this high-end group of talent has never been able to, on the final game of the year, get through?

No. I mean, it sucks. Like I said, it sucks a lot. I don't know. It's tough to say on that one. but I mean you look at all sports it's been amazing teams that haven't been able to go through and sometimes it just takes a little longer and that sometimes happens and you know can't change anything that happened in the past now all you can do is focus on trying to just get as you know strong as fast as powerful as you can this summer and come back with your foot going forward.

Mitch (Marner) Really Held The Fort For Us": Leafs GM Gives Strong Vote Of Confidence In Marner Ahead Of Playoffs Mitch Marner's performance in the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs could ultimately define his future with the Toronto Maple Leafs. If the Toronto Maple Leafs are to have any success during their 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs, their top stars are going to have to perform and Mitch Marner is certainly no exception.  

Q: Mitch, what was your takeaway from Auston's first year as the captain of this team, and what's it been like playing with him all these years?

Both have been amazing yeah, I mean his leadership the last couple of years has really just developed in such a great way. You know, the captaincy didn't change who he was in this locker room, who he was on the ice, who he was in the city. You know, he's still the exact same person, and that's something he really appreciated is nothing ever went to his head. He took such responsibility and took everything on himself very hard, as we all do. And, yeah, it's been a special time to play hockey with him. He's been an unbelievable player, and he's obviously one of the best in the world. But just his leadership-wise, he's really taken a step forward in the last couple of years, and it was great to see this year as well.

Q: After the game, Mitch, Paul Maurice said that the Toronto spotlight can be hard on players' families. What do you think it's been like for your family, you being the leaf and your family?

Yeah, I'm sure it's tough on them. I mean, you know, you've got to not focus on that. I mean, that's, I think, what my wife and I have done such a good job of the last couple of years is just not focusing on that. You can't focus on that. You know, there's so much love and appreciation for yourself and from the fans out there. And, you know, just because you don't hear it, you know, it's still out there. You know, you've got the love of a lot of people. And sometimes, you know, the noise you hear is not the one that you want. But that's how it goes. And, yeah, I'm sure my family's taking it hard, especially being in the crowd for a couple. But, you know, that's how this game of hockey goes. And the passion in the city brings is something that, you appreciate and love about it.

'I Grew Up A Leafs Fan': Panthers': Brad Marchand Owns Toronto Again, But Doesn't Believe Fans' Pressure Is Justified Florida Panthers defenseman Seth Jones shook his head, agreeing with Brad Marchand after the veteran forward, who's now ousted the Toronto Maple Leafs from the playoffs on five separate occasions, <a href="https://www.nhl.com/panthers/video/fla-at-tor-jones-marchand-postgame-6373044656112">said the fans beat the pressure into this team</a>.

Q: When you look at this playoff performance versus the last one, what about this loss feels different?

I think just the momentum around the team, just the vibe around the team. Everything about that morning and that day was high energy, high octane. I didn't feel like we were nervous at all. We were excited for the opportunity, the moment. I don't know. That's the thing that sucks is you want to still be playing hockey right now you want to be get ready for a hockey game and sometimes it doesn't go your way and you know it's tough to look back and try to change things you can't. That's what hurts the most is looking back and saying what is and what you can do and there's nothing you can change it's happened and that's what sucks most.

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