If you think Mitch Marner is going to end up remaining on the Toronto Maple Leafs roster, it’s time to confront reality.
Marner originally signed a six-year, $65.408 million deal ($10.903 million average annual value) with the Maple Leafs on Sept. 13, 2019. He is expected to test free agency come July 1st after being Toronto’s No. 4 pick in the 2015 NHL Draft.
Maple Leafs General Manager Brad Treliving even let it slip that it’s not a matter of if, but a matter of when Marner goes.
“Obviously with Mitch going,” Treliving said in a media availability prior to Friday’s 2025 NHL Draft before he quickly corrected himself. “If Mitch is going … we’ll look at all positions,” he said.
Brad Treliving Ready To Say Goodbye to Mitch Marner
According to NHL.com, Treliving is looking to see how everything plays out regarding July 1st, but isn’t holding his breath.
“We’ve had communication,” Treliving said Thursday. “I’d probably describe it [that] unless there is significant change here, I would anticipate he’s going to hit the market. And we’ll see. We’ll see where things go.”
Should he hit free agency, Marner will be snatched up. He was fifth in the NHL this season with a career-high 102 points (27 goals, 75 assists), kills penalties, and finished seventh in voting for the Selke Trophy.
Treliving reiterates a quote from end-of-year media day: “There’s not a Mitch Marner tree that you go to and replace him. If that indeed happens, we’ll continue to look at ways we can help ourselves.”
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“Everybody’s focused on July 1, and I get it. We don’t play on July 2. So you can use the time on July 1 to try to make your team better. And that may come on July 1. It may come Aug. 1, Sept. 1. You’re not sure. So you continue to work the market. But certainly some challenges. Really good player.”
Should the 28-year-old winger leave, that means the Maple Leafs will be losing an Ontario native. Marner has tallied a total of 221 goals and 520 assists in 657 games over nine seasons in Toronto.
“And I think I’ve said this before too. There’s not a Mitch Marner tree you go to and just replace him. If that indeed happens, we will continue to look at ways that we can help ourselves,” Treliving said.
Though, the Maple Leafs can still sign Marner after free agency opens, but lose the right to offer him an eight-year contract. NHL teams can sign players to a maximum of seven years on the open market.
