Trade speculation continues to swirl relentlessly around Toronto Maple Leafs star forward Mitch Marner, who is virtually No. 1 on every single trade board that's been made since the season ended.
But that doesn't guarantee that Marner, who is from Toronto and has played his entire career for the franchise, will be traded before the 2024-25 campaign kicks off later this year. In fact, if TSN hockey insider Darren Dreger's reporting is accurate, general manager Brad Treliving might not want to move the 27-year-old at all.
“Are we so sure that Toronto doesn't want to extend Mitch?” Dreger said on TSN 1050's First Up on Monday. “I'm not. I think Treliving would rather extend than trade.”
Marner is entering the final season of a contract that will pay the Canadian $10.9 million in 2023-24, and he's made it clear that Toronto is home, although his future in the city is murky.
“I believe, based on people I've talked to, as we're having this conversation, Marner's preference is to play out his contract with the Toronto Maple Leafs,” continued Dreger.
Marner's play against the Boston Bruins in Round 1 left a lot to be desired, and we seem to be saying that about Toronto's stars after every single playoff run. But the fanbase will only tolerate so many disappointments, and it looks like they're starting to turn on Marner.
Mitch Marner, Leafs looking for answers after yet another playoff failure
Over the last two decades, the Leafs have managed to win just a single playoff series — last year against the Tampa Bay Lightning — and it was followed up by a quick five-game exit at the hands of the Florida Panthers. Other than that, it's been Round 1 exit after Round 1 exit for one of the most consistently bad postseason clubs in recent memory.
This core just can't seem to break through, and it's already led to the departures of former general manager Kyle Dubas and head coach Sheldon Keefe over the last few seasons. And Marner, who has been a key piece of the ‘Core 4' for almost a decade, could be next.
Despite scoring at over a point-per-game clip yet again in 2023-24 — Marner scored 26 goals and 85 points in 69 games — he disappeared in the playoffs. The former London Knight recorded just a goal and three points in the seven-game loss to the Bruins, and he often looked like a skater that is just not built for the postseason.
If a potential trade did emerge between the Leafs and one of the many suitors who will come calling this summer, Treliving could bring it to Marner to see if he would be open to waiving his no-trade clause, reports Dreger.
But there's no guarantee that that will happen. There's also no contract extension talks being discussed, meaning this one could come right down the wire. If Marner isn't traded, he could realistically walk for nothing in free agency next summer, despite his desire to remain with Toronto.
This is a topic that doesn't figure to go away anytime soon, and whether or not Marner gets traded will remain one of the top storylines of the 2024 NHL offseason.
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