Now on to Mitch Marner
This morning on the comments made last night
Dave Feschuk: “To clarify, the quotes from Darren Ferris in this piece were from yesterday, not from the summer as Ferris mistakenly implied on @FirstUp1050. Just spoke to Ferris, who acknowledged he meant to say they “referred to” events from the summer.”
Kristen Shilton: “Darren Ferris also told @FirstUp1050 the “unfortunate” comments that surfaced last night about #Leafs “lowballing” Marner, etc were “taken out of context” and from where talks were at in summer: “In normal negotiations, everyone starts off low, and you get to a common ground.”
Kristen Shilton: Ferris on TSN 1050 said that Marner told him not to negotiate in-season to avoid distraction: “We ended discussions on a positive note, we were closer on numbers. It was moving in the right direction. We’re not far off, I can tell you that.”
Pierre LeBrun: “Bottom line, all controversy aside, it comes down to one very basic question: can Marner get what Matthews got and if not, where does that leave both sides this summer? Marner wants to be a Leaf. So his camp pushes as far as it can and then signs. At least that’s what I think.”
Late Last night
Sportsnet: Mitch Marner’s agent told Dave Feschuk of the Toronto Star yesterday that they haven’t been impressed with numbers the Maple Leafs have brought up so far.
“So far they’ve been trying to lowball (Marner),” agent Darren Ferris told the Toronto Star‘s Dave Feschuk Tuesday. “That’s the reason we’ve come to this point.”
The Maple Leafs signed John Tavares at $11 million per, Matthews at $11.634 million and William Nylander at just under $7 million.
“Nobody else is taking a discount. And now you’re asking (Marner) to take one again? It’s nonsense,” Ferris told the Star. “Mitch already did them a favour on the entry-level deal.”
Yesterday afternoon
Bob McKenzie: “Believe that Mitch Marner will be looking to get close to the same money that Auston Matthews got. Believe that the Toronto Maple Leafs will be looking to keep the number below $10 million.”
Bob McKenzie: “The Maple Leafs will argue that Matthews is a center and a goal scorer, and will use Nikita Kucherov as a comparable at $9.5 million. Marner will say his numbers are elite and Kucherov’s is in tax-free Florida.”
Bob McKenzie: “Would think the Marner’s deal will be for three years or six to eight years. Four years would take Marner to unrestricted free agency. Five years would be mean his contract would end the at the same time as Matthews, which wouldn’t be great for the Leafs.”
David Pagnotta: Maple Leafs GM Kyle Dubas on Marner: “We’re respecting their wishes . . . . When they’re ready to sit down, we’ll talk. He’s going to be a Toronto Maple Leaf for a long time, regardless of how we have to come to that.”
Michael Augello: “Kucherov makes $9.5M AAV (signed in July ’18 when cap for 2018-19 was $79.5M) = 11.94% of cap.
Marner – if cap is $85M (as some are predicting) 11.94% of cap would be $10.16M AAV. (“16”…..get it)
If the cap is set at $83 Million, the equivalent AAV is $9.92M”
Brian Lawton: “Yes I see many critics discussing a potential offer sheet for Marner or others. I don’t see it happening. Mark it down. NO concrete evidence of such in the past & I rate it a tolerably level of risk for signing a player of #Mathews ability.”
Maple Leafs Hot Stove: Maple Leafs GM Kyle Dubas on how things may now unfold for Marner.
“I think that has been a pretty clear one. We are respecting the wishes of Darren. If they were to change their stance on it, then we are open to that. For right now, we will respect their wishes and we will carry on with the season here.”
Dubas when asked if his job is now a little easier with regards to negotiating with Marner after the season.
“I’m not sure about that. I think Mitch is a wonderful young player and we love having him. He is someone who loves hockey every day and he comes in with the same great energy and enthusiasm. That is his personal preference. There is going to be no pressure from us on that.
For us, if they want to talk, we are here, but we are respecting their wishes and I expect everyone else would as well in terms of how they handle Mitch. When they are ready to sit down, we’ll talk.
He is going to be a Toronto Maple Leaf for a long time regardless of how we have to come to that, so it is no issue at all.”
