It depends on context and kind o
It depends on context and kind of agreements both side have about the upcoming contract, but it's difficult to imagine many scenarios where they could approach him with such a proposition and not have it seem like an indication that they don't view him at a certain level.
Not to mention, it's out there that they were willing to deal futures for Rantanen and keep Marner for the rest of the season. If they did that, Marner is 100 percent gone unless he takes an outrageous discount. If you're sitting in Marner's shoes, you basically see that they were willing to give up the equivalent of four first round picks to replace you, rather than sign you to market value and keep the four first rounders. The math tells a story, which is that Marner is not in their long term plans. The only scenario where that isn't a blow to Marner, is if it's because Marner doesn't want to sign with Toronto. We're assuming he wants to stay.
Ultimately, this gives them no excuse to not pay Marner market value other than they don't want to. It's very exposing. Because they can't just say we don't think we can win with another 12+ million dollar player, because they were prepared to give Rantanen at least that, and his ask may have been higher for Toronto than Dallas due to taxes.
f agreements both side have about the upcoming contract, but it's difficult to imagine many scenarios where they could approach him with such a proposition and not have it seem like an indication that they don't view him at a certain level.
Not to mention, it's out there that they were willing to deal futures for Rantanen and keep Marner for the rest of the season. If they did that, Marner is 100 percent gone unless he takes an outrageous discount. If you're sitting in Marner's shoes, you basically see that they were willing to give up the equivalent of four first round picks to replace you, rather than sign you to market value and keep the four first rounders. The math tells a story, which is that Marner is not in their long term plans. The only scenario where that isn't a blow to Marner, is if it's because Marner doesn't want to sign with Toronto. We're assuming he wants to stay.
Ultimately, this gives them no excuse to not pay Marner market value other than they don't want to. It's very exposing. Because they can't just say we don't think we can win with another 12+ million dollar player, because they were prepared to give Rantanen at least that, and his ask may have been higher for Toronto than Dallas due to taxes.