Lots of notes on the Toronto Maple Leafs and Mitch Marner
Darren Dreger: The Toronto Maple Leafs have been pushing for a seven or eight-year deal for Mitch Marner.
The Maple Leafs back in June offered him $11 million a season. The deal included $1.6 million in “B” bonuses that the Leafs wouldn’t give him when he signed his entry-level deal.
A three-year contract remains the focus.
- Bob McKenzie: With these numbers, shows that it’s hard to see a contract settlement anytime soon unless one side or the other makes a big shift.
- Bob McKenzie: The Maple Leafs have made seven and eight-year offers in the $11 million range. It’s a lower AAV and for more term than Auston Matthews, and that isn’t “palatable to Marner.”
- Bob McKenzie: A three-year bridge deal seems like a logical solution. Marner is wanting around $9.5 to $10 million per season on a three-year bridge with a higher third-year salary. The Maple Leafs have no incentive to do a three-year bridge at those numbers.
James (Account4Hockey): Chris Johnston on Sportsnet 960 said that Mitch Marner’s camp has been looking for a three-year bridge deal and are looking for offer sheets.
“It’s certainly consistent with what Mitch Marner has been shopping around for. His camp has looked more recently at a 3-year deal.
I think they’ve even talked to some other teams still, if there’s an offer sheet potential. If there was, with an ascending pay structure would be favourable to them.”
James: Chris Johnston the report of Marner asking for a $15 million qualifying offer.
“It’s hard to carve through what they believe and what they’re asking for.”
James: Johnston on three-year deals
“I don’t think the Leafs have any interest in a 3 year deal with Marner” “Maybe as an absolute last resort to get him signed playing games”
James: Johnston on offer sheets and how not many teams have the salary cap space.
“I think he’s going to have a very difficult time getting that deal (3 year, high 3rd year salary) in Toronto and evidently, no one else in the league is looking to give it to him either.”
Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet: The Toronto Maple Leafs may be willing to go $11 million for Mitch Marner, but only if it’s for seven years. A two-year bridge deal may be agreeable for both sides. There was a rumor that Marner’s camp pitched a three-year deal with season three coming in at $15 million. That was several months ago and no longer relevant.
Maple Leafs Hot Stove: Chris Johnston on how the Maple Leafs salary cap situation affects contract negotiations if Marner and Leafs don’t have deal in place by the start of the regular season.
” Toronto’s position actually gets weaker in terms of signing Mitch Marner once the season begins. If his goal is to reach a contract with the Leafs, which I have to believe fundamentally it is, the real deadline for his contract has to be the start of the year, and if they go past that, there honestly is a doomsday scenario where the Leafs can’t sign him even if they wanted to or another team might not offer sheet him and he might be stuck.
I don’t think it will come to that, but it is a possibility in his case because of the Leafs’ unique cap situation. Thursday doesn’t matter when they report for camp, but October 2nd is a huge date when it comes to negotiations between him and the Leafs.”
TSN: Darren Dreger on TSN 1050 said that Mitch Marner may skate with Matthew Tkachuk in London this week, but could be heading to Switzerland soon.
“If Toronto and the Marner camp can’t come to terms before the start of the regular season or training camp, and training camp as we know is looming this week, then he’s got to decide, is he going over to Europe and he is going to continue to skate in Zurich, Switzerland?” Dreger said.
“And unless something changes, and a lot can change very quickly as I keep suggesting here, but unless something changes, I believe his plan is to go to Switzerland maybe the third week of this month.”
Luke Fox of Sportsnet: Five things to remember/not lose sleep over regarding Mitch Marner and the Toronto Maple Leafs.
1. Marner is but one of several high-profile young stars trying to move the goalposts coming out his entry-level deal.
2. An offer sheet, despite rampant rumour and speculation, never materialized.
3. Neither side is exploring the trade route, and neither is bashing the other in the press.
4. Toronto is a rare club with enough offence, power-play weapons and winger depth to survive a few weeks without an elite player like Marner.
5. Marner’s greatest chance to be paired with a centre that compliments his game and lift a Stanley Cup is right here in his hometown. No offence to the Zurich Lions.