After another disappointing Toronto Maple Leafs playoff loss, it's time to break up the core four forwards and that might mean moving on from Mitch Marner, who becomes a free agent at the end of the 2024-25 season. Jake McCabe's next NHL contract will be negotiated by new representation. Bartlett Hockey announced on their social media on Wednesday that the agency now represents the Toronto Maple Leafs' defenseman. As PuckPedia.com points out, McCabe was previously repped by Forward Hockey. McCabe's teammate, Bobby McMann is also repped by Bartlett. The agency negotiated McMann's two-year, $2.7 million extension which kicks in on July 1. McCabe has been a valuable defenseman for the Leafs and is one of four D-men who played with Toronto last season and is under contract for the 2024-25 season. The Leafs acquired McCabe as part of a larger deal that included Sam Lafferty (now with the Vancouver Canucks) from the Chicago Blackhawks on Feb. 27, 2023, in exchange for a conditional 2025 first-round pick(top-10 protected, a 2026 second-round pick and forwards Joey Anderson and Pavel Gogolev. The Leafs also got a conditional fifth-rounder in 2024 and a conditional fifth in 2025 from the Blackhawks in the deal. But the big part of the deal was the Leafs were able to convince Chicago to retain 50 percent of McCabe's $4 million salary cap hit, giving Toronto a friendly cap charge of just $2 million, a benefit the Leafs will continue to enjoy for the upcoming season. Any new deal for McCabe will obviously be negotiated based on McCabe's total cap number, and not just what the Leafs were paying him. McCabe's popularity and role on the team have only increased since joining Toronto. He is eligible to sign an extension with the Maple Leafs as soon as July 1. In 94 games over two seasons with the Maple Leafs, McCabe has averaged 20:23 per game. He has nine goals and 24 assists in that span. Image [https://thehockeynews.com/.image/c_fit,h_600,w_600/MjAwNTk1MTUxMDE2NDM2ODQ0/cf1808c0-6a82-4298-9049-3eb2eae105b0.jpg] Related Goaltender of Interest to Maple Leafs Off the Board as Flames Reportedly Trade Jacob Markstrom to Devils [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/toronto-maple-leafs/latest-news/goaltender-of-interest-to-maple-leafs-off-the-board-as-flames-reportedly-trade-jacob-markstrom-to-devils] Report: Maple Leafs and Tyler Bertuzzi Hold 'Productive Talks' But Still No Deal for Pending Free Agent [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/toronto-maple-leafs/latest-news/report-maple-leafs-and-tyler-bertuzzi-hold-productive-talks-but-still-no-deal-for-pending-free-agent] Should the Maple Leafs Consider Claiming Rangers Forward Barclay Goodrow Off Waivers? [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/toronto-maple-leafs/latest-news/should-the-maple-leafs-consider-claiming-rangers-forward-barclay-goodrow-off-waivers] News from THN.com NHL Rumor Roundup: The Latest on Pavel Buchnevich, Logan Couture and Cam Atkinson [https://thehockeynews.com/news/nhl-rumor-roundup-the-latest-on-pavel-buchnevich-logan-couture-and-cam-atkinson] Dallas Stars' Jim Nill Joins Elite Company With GM of the Year Award Win [https://thehockeynews.com/news/dallas-stars-jim-nill-joins-elite-company-with-gm-of-the-year-award-win] Opinion: Is Joe Pavelski a Hockey Hall of Famer? Sorry, But No [https://thehockeynews.com/news/is-joe-pavelski-a-hockey-hall-of-famer-sorry-but-no]
