What’s the end game for Mitch Marner, Maple Leafs?
The Toronto Maple Leafs finished the 2023-24 season with a 46-26-10 record, third in the Atlantic Division and eliminated in seven games by the Boston Bruins in the first round.
Forward Mitch Marner missed 13 games but still finished third in team scoring, ending up with 26 goals and 59 assists for 85 points, the fourth-highest total in his career. But another lackluster effort in the playoffs led to some fans wanting the 2015 No. 4 overall pick traded in the offseason.
The team decided to keep the winger, and now the 27-year-old Marner goes into the final year of a six-year, $65.4 million deal he signed ahead of the 2019-20 season. With championship expectations, the Maple Leafs need to figure out what their future plans are with one of their core-four pieces.
On the 2024-25 season premiere of Daily Faceoff LIVE, Frank Seravalli and Tyler Yaremchuk discuss Marner’s upcoming season and if it could end up being his last in Toronto.
Tyler Yaremchuk: This was a big point of drama throughout the offseason. Marner ends up sticking around, and based off your bold prediction that he will headline the 2025 free agent class, this storyline is going to be one we talk about for the entire season – this ain’t going anywhere, Frank!
Frank Seravalli: No it’s not! It hasn’t gone anywhere all summer. I think the hard part is really trying to envision what the end game is here, for both team and player. At the end of the day, I have a hard time seeing the Leafs continue to make the same decisions with this core. Even when last season ended, there was some roster influx for the Leafs last summer, but the season ends and everyone was thinking, “Surely this is the year there’s going to be core changes,” and nothing’s happened.
You’re looking at one more year of John Tavares, but at some point, there’s going to be change there. What’s going to be really difficult to fathom or stomach was the idea of the Leafs having Marner walk for nothing. I don’t think you can get to the trade deadline with another 100-plus team and say, “We’re going to make this change right now and make a trade.” Plus, Marner holds all the cards with the full no-move clause.
You can watch the full segment and the rest of the episode here…