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Toronto Maple Leafs and Mitch Marner still far apart in negotiations

By Dave Stevenson

TORONTO, ON - APRIL 17: Mitchell Marner #16 of the Toronto Maple Leafs during opening ceremonies before a game against the Boston Bruins during the first period during Game Four of the Eastern Conference First Round during the 2019 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at the Scotiabank Arena on April 17, 2019 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Kevin Sousa/NHLI via Getty Images)
TORONTO, ON - APRIL 17: Mitchell Marner #16 of the Toronto Maple Leafs during opening ceremonies before a game against the Boston Bruins during the first period during Game Four of the Eastern Conference First Round during the 2019 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at the Scotiabank Arena on April 17, 2019 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Kevin Sousa/NHLI via Getty Images) /
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The contract soap opera between the Toronto Maple Leafs and Mitch Marner isn’t close to ending anytime soon unless one side gives in. 

The Toronto Maple Leafs have been the talk of the NHL this offseason. It has partially been due to their trade for Tyson Barrie, which gave them the right-handed defensemen they sorely needed. However, it has mostly been bad, as most of the talking has been about unsigned restricted free agent Mitch Marner.

Yesterday, James Mirtle of The Athletic reported the Leafs have tried numerous contract offers with Marner and none of them have been successful. Initially, he wanted a contract similar to the one Auston Matthews got – five years and $11.634 million per year. Maybe Marner would take $11.616 million a year because, you know, players are obsessed with their numbers.

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The Leafs, though, wanted no part of that. Toronto countered with a max-term deal of eight years. This deal would have reportedly been worth over $10 million per year. Marner and his camp, however, didn’t want an eight-year deal.

Now Marner and his camp have countered with a three-year deal worth over $10 million per season. It would be the most expensive three-year deal of the salary cap era and the most expensive bridge deal as well, topping Steven Stamkos‘ five-year deal worth $7.5 million signed back in 2011.

The Leafs wanted Marner at eight years, but obviously, that’s not happening. They’ve countered with three different deals – a three-year deal, a six-year deal, and a seven-year deal. The Leafs don’t want a four-year deal because it would just take him to unrestricted free agency.

A one-year deal or a two-year deal could happen, but it’s hard to imagine either party would want to negotiate again a year or two later.

Marner has a lot of leverage right now. He saw what the Leafs gave to Matthews. Toronto’s now asking Marner to take something less than what he could on the open market. An offer sheet would solve everything, if nothing else because it would give the terms of the deal. However, unlike Sebastian Aho, Marner has yet to find a team willing to sign him to a deal he likes.

It’s hard to see the Leafs wanting to repeat an in-season holdout, which is what happened with William Nylander last season. They saw how it affected him once he came back. Also, the Leafs are a team looking to win the Stanley Cup. They’re not going to be Stanley Cup contenders if they don’t have Marner. And Marner knows this.

These situations tend to solve themselves before the start of the season, so expect the Leafs to sign their leader in points for the past two seasons before the puck drops in October. However, this would involve one of the parties having to give in.

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At this point, it’s hard to see Marner giving in. He could just hold out until the Leafs give him what he wants. So it will likely be Toronto who has to give in. The only question is, how much will they have to pay Marner? And for how long?

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