NHL: Toronto Maple Leafs at Dallas Stars - Source: Imagn — NHL insider talks about Mitch Marner's contract extension situation with the Toronto Maple Leafs (Source: Imagn)

"They've lived true to word on that" - Insider highlights key aspect of Mitch Marner-Maple Leafs contract negotiation talk

Modified Dec 20, 2024 17:44 GMT

Mitch Marner’s contract situation with the Toronto Maple Leafs is drawing attention as his current deal nears its end. TSN insider Darren Dreger shared updates on Friday's episode of the "First Up" podcast, explaining how the Leafs are managing the negotiations.

According to Dreger, the team and Marner’s agent, Darren Ferris, are in regular contact.

"They (Treliving and the Maple Leafs) are in contact with Darren Ferris, the agent, on a regular basis." Dreger said, "But the focus again was to make sure they avoided a circus that we were all part of the last time Marner went through his contract negotiation, right? They wanted to make sure that he was able to stay focused on playing and helping the team.

"And so, I think for the most part, they've lived true to word on that, and it's worked, because Marner's played terrific this year, and the Maple Leafs have benefited based on his play."

Mitch Marner is signed to a six-year contract worth $65.4 million, with an annual cap hit of $10.9 million. The deal, which began in 2019, expires at the end of the 2024-25 season. Marner will become an unrestricted free agent in 2025 if no extension is reached. This timeline adds urgency for the Leafs, who must decide on both Marner and teammate John Tavares before free agency in July 2025.

One more tension for the Leafs is Marner's value in the free agency market. He is a high-caliber forward and his AAV is expected to increase close to Auston Matthews' $13.25 million or William Nylander's $11.5 million. This is going to be difficult considering the Leafs have only $663,229 in cap space and Tavares to sign.

This season, Mitch Marner has been a key player for Toronto, scoring 42 points (10 goals and 32 assists) in 32 games. He has performed especially well in wins, where he has 32 points and a +16 rating. In losses, his production drops to 10 points with a -15 rating. Over his career, Marner has tallied 681 points in 608 games, making him one of the league’s top playmakers.

Toronto Maple Leafs' concerns about Mitch Marner and the other three in 'Core Four'

Mitch Marner is part of Toronto’s “Core Four,” which includes Auston Matthews, William Nylander and John Tavares. These players carry high cap hits, putting pressure on the Leafs’ salary structure. Matthews and Nylander have already signed contract extensions, leaving Marner and Tavares as the next big decisions.

The NHL's current salary cap for the 2024-2025 season is $88 million. However, as per Commissioner Gary Bettman's insight, it could increase to $92.4 million or more. But it will still be interesting to see how the Leafs manage the situation.

They are expecting good playoff performance this season or else they will make a hard choice about Core Four's future.