The Toronto Maple Leafs are expected to trade Mitch Marner by July 1, according to NHL insider Frank Seravalli. Marner has been at the center of trade rumors since the Maple Leafs were eliminated in the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs by the Boston Bruins. Entering the final year of his six-year, $65.4 million deal, Marner has been linked to several teams, but he holds a full no-movement clause, meaning he must approve any trade.
Seravalli, speaking on Sportsnet 590 The Fan on June 24, indicated that the Leafs are pushing hard to finalize a deal before the end of June.
“This is the week if it’s going to happen; there is a strong likelihood it happens this week. I think the Toronto Maple Leafs are going to do everything within their power to try and make something happen,” Seravalli said on The JD Bunkis Show.
“Whether or not he goes for it is a different story, but if you are a Leafs fan, the team has made the determination to move on. If he’s not willing, how will it work out next year when the Leafs tell everyone they tried to move him and he said no?” Seravalli added.
The urgency stems from the July 1 free agency opening, necessitating clarity on Marner’s status for cap management and free-agent signings. Last season, Marner tallied 26 goals and 59 assists for 85 points in 69 regular-season games.
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Extension Not on the Table for Marner
Despite Marner expressing a desire to remain with the Maple Leafs, Seravalli believes an extension is unlikely. He argues that from an asset management perspective, it makes sense to trade Marner rather than risk losing him for nothing next year.
“Extending him is not on the table. Let’s think about this as a pure asset management play. You have a top-10 player, a top-15 player in the league, and you are not extending him. Meaning one year from now it is over. You are not moving him at the deadline, so what sense would it make to use the last year of his deal and let him walk for nothing?” Seravalli explained.
Given the expectation that Marner won’t be re-signed, Seravalli is confident the Maple Leafs will trade the skilled forward promptly.
Marner’s Desire to Stay in Toronto
Following the Maple Leafs’ playoff elimination, Marner expressed his wish to stay in Toronto during the year-end media availability. Marner, who grew up in the Greater Toronto Area and is a lifelong Maple Leafs fan, reiterated his love for the city.
“That would be the goal. I’ve expressed my love for this place, this city. Obviously, I grew up here. I’ll start thinking about (a contract extension) now and try to figure something out,” Marner said on May 6, via The Athletic.
Marner has been with the Maple Leafs since being selected fourth overall in the 2015 NHL draft.
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