The countdown to July 1st is on for the Toronto Maple Leafs and Mitch Marner
Mike Johnston of Sportsnet: Nick Kypreos on Sportsnet on Toronto Maple Leafs pending restricted free agent forward Mitch Marner and GM Kyle Dubas.
“If he really is sincere in trying to get Mitch Marner signed before July 1 he’s going to going to have to come out with a pretty good offer right away and everything we hear is either at par or close to the Auston Matthews contract,” Sportsnet’s Nick Kypreos said Saturday during the Headlines segment of Hockey Night in Canada. “If that doesn’t happen, then I think Mitch Marner owes it to himself to take this to July 1.”
Getting Marner re-signed as soon they can would help them figure out their salary cap situation faster.
The idea/threat of an offer sheet after July 1st has been mentioned.
“I think what the Toronto Maple Leafs are saying by mentioning that July 1 date is that they’re not going to let anyone else dictate to them about what Mitch Marner’s salary is going to be,” Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman said.
Friedman on if an extension is not in place by July 1st, there could be trade rumors and “anything’s in the air.”
TSN: Darren Dreger on TSN 1050 on Mitch Marner’s next contract and the Toronto Maple Leafs salary cap situation.
“The question is: Can you afford to add two, let alone three $11 million players in Matthews, Tavares and in Mitch Marner?” said Dreger. “I don’t see it – but the unthinkable is, what do you do? Do you move Mitch Marner? If you legitimately can’t get to $10 million or more and you’re legitimately afraid of an offer sheet, what do you do?
“Do you trade him? Do you trade one of them? You’re not trading Auston Matthews. You’re not trading John Tavares…Dubas can’t show his hand, (but) how much fun would it be to sit in on that post-mortem of hockey operations of the Toronto Maple Leafs as they plan and strategize moving forward?
“If I’m Darren Ferris , I’m in hiding! The conversation I would have would be short – it would be, ‘All right, you guys know what’s it is going to take. If you’re not going beyond $10.5, don’t bother calling. If you’re around 11, then give me a call. Otherwise, I’ll see you in mid-June.'”