Player Discussion Mitch Marner - On Hiatus

[Evilhomer]

That might be a mistake. Without Matty he may not put up 90 points. If he is smart he will waive and sign with a team he likes.

Maybe it's the opposite. Maybe he goes somewhere and becomes the center of the offense for his new team without the baggage of the Leafs on him.

 

[3blizzard4]

Only owed 710k real dollars.

If that’s the case, perfect situation for sign and trade. No way they buy him out and walk for nothing.

 

[ToneDog]

Maybe it's the opposite. Maybe he goes somewhere and becomes the center of the offense for his new team without the baggage of the Leafs on him.

Yup he could bet on himself. He might need to get that next big contract. My advice is to take a discount or you will find yourself in the same boat with the fans of his new team if you underperform.

 

[ACC1224]

I guess I’m not terribly surprised, just never really considered it.
Certainly another poor optic for Mitch even if everything is above board.

What’s a poor optic?

 

[Evilhomer]

Yup he could bet on himself. He might need to get that next big contract. My advice is to take a discount or you will find yourself in the same boat with the fans of his new team if you underperform.

I think a situation like Chicago might be good for him. Massive ice time, ride shotgun to a star, no pressure re playoffs for now, and they can afford to pay him a bundle.

 

[rielledup]

What about Marner for Konecny? Same age, both have a year left on their contract. From the leafs perspective, he's not as good as Marner but he's a good player who's more physical than Marner and he'll be making 6 mil less next year and probably 2 to 3 mil less after their new deals. From the Flyers perspective, cap space doesn't matter as much to them right now and Marner makes them a better team during the regular season and more likely to make the playoffs.

 

[Gabriel426]

Robertson was on pace for 20 this year in his first full (or almost full) nhl season playing only 11 minutes a game, I still think he's going to end up being like a 30 goal 60 point guy.

Agree. Really think he will break out if he gets more play time. As he plays with a chip on his shoulder.

 

[Stephen]

I think a situation like Chicago might be good for him. Massive ice time, ride shotgun to a star, no pressure re playoffs for now, and they can afford to pay him a bundle.

Marner's ideal environment is probably Florida before they got good, and he can have an easy time being a super productive regular season star like Huberdeau far from the limelight, only intermittently in the playoffs, making the big bucks. This allows him to continue to be who he is, excel at what he excels at, at the price point he's used to.

The alternative is he accepts a Phil Kessel like role on a team ready to win, but in order to follow that path he needs to be making less than $9 million and move out of the Panarin, Pastrnak salary bracket. Stop being delusional about being a franchise cornerstone who can deliver a championship.

Marner is at a crossroads in his career, and staying in Toronto continuing to do the same thing is not the right answer.

 

[BM14]

Robertson was on pace for 20 this year in his first full (or almost full) nhl season playing only 11 minutes a game, I still think he's going to end up being like a 30 goal 60 point guy.

Robertson can’t stay on his feet nor can he stay healthy.

Every team in the league has one, if not multiple, prospects in their system like Robertson. He’s a dime a dozen fringe player.

 

[barilko05]

What about Marner for Konecny? Same age, both have a year left on their contract. From the leafs perspective, he's not as good as Marner but he's a good player who's more physical than Marner and he'll be making 6 mil less next year and probably 2 to 3 mil less after their new deals. From the Flyers perspective, cap space doesn't matter as much to them right now and Marner makes them a better team during the regular season and more likely to make the playoffs.

As much as that seems like a great deal, it would be SO Leaf-y if we do that and he burns us come playoff time. IMO Marner has to go west just to avoid that eventuality, at least until the final. I could live with that...I guess.

 

[Gabriel426]

Maybe it's the opposite. Maybe he goes somewhere and becomes the center of the offense for his new team without the baggage of the Leafs on him.

Then good for him. He is a talented player just not the right mix for the Leafs

 

[JEI]

Could be something like Marner to Anaheim for goalie John Gibson age 30 ($6.4 mil X 3 more years) & Trevor Zegras age 23 C/W [ 5.75 mil X 2 years RFA] = $12.15 mil instead of locking Marner in long-term at $12.5 mil.

If Zegras is a no go for Anaheim then I'm a big fan of a scrappy young forward like Mason McTavish and perhaps 1st round pick as Leafs attempt to rebuild a prospect pool that witnessed a scorched earth approach by the previous GM.

View attachment 868934

Gibson + McTavish + future 1st for Marner.

I think that's the type of move the Leafs will look for if he ends up moving - filling multiple holes but with lesser talents. Think your thought process is sound. I think the idea of the Leafs not taking on salary is far fetched (e.g. a strictly future deal).

I also believe Mason McTavish would be the type of guy Verbeek would want to keep. Zegras more likely to move. Mintyukov would be a high priority target too if there was a way to snag him.

 

[Gabriel426]

I just have the feeling that it will be MM for Seth Jones with retention or prospects and draft picks.

Just make sense on many fronts.

 

[barilko05]

Marner's all about Marner. Money is priority but I think what he really wants is 2 b top dog. But in order to do that he might have to go to a rebuilding team, which means leading in relative obscurity for a while. Not sure his ego could handle that. My guess he doesn't waive and waits to pick his own destination as a FA. A team on the cusp that lacks a star. Not sure who that might be, though. Guesses?

 

[egd27]

What’s a poor optic?

Having most of your immediate family employed by your charitable foundation. (if true)

 

[Gabriel426]

Marner's all about Marner. Money is priority but I think what he really wants is 2 b top dog. But in order to do that he might have to go to a rebuilding team, which means leading in relative obscurity for a while. Not sure his ego could handle that. My guess he doesn't waive and waits to pick his own destination as a FA. A team on the cusp that lacks a star. Not sure who that might be, though. Guesses?

If that’s the case.
If I am MM, I would trade to an absolute worst team that won’t make the playoffs, be the alpha there and build up my regular stats. Then trade to a contender like Vegas or Avs or Panthers at 75% retention and win a Cup.

That’s maximizing your value for Free Agency.

 

[ACC1224]

Having most of your immediate family employed by your charitable foundation. (if true)

I don’t see why but maybe I’m not understanding. I would imagine that’s pretty common place.

 

[Stringer Bell]

It might be a bit of a bummer to see Marner with Bedard.

 

[egd27]

I don’t see why but maybe I’m not understanding. I would imagine that’s pretty common place.

IMO it raises questions about where is all the money going that is raised. Again, I have no idea about the structure of the foundation, but it causes me to wonder how much is being taken out to support the family.

 

[seanlinden]

In the past "walking to free agency" would likely have worked against an clueless Dubas and out of fear would cave to every demand. Last time Mitch just floated the idea of an Offersheet and he got his $11 mil as Leafs GM got taken behind the wood shed for a good spanking.

This time I believe things will be different and "free agency" returns $11 mil cap to the Leafs if Marner refuses to waive his NMC next year to allow a trade. If the Leafs are looking to trade Marner then a new Leaf contract is not in the offering and so walking away as a free agent might be Mitch's only other option.

Leafs could go out and sign another UFA like say Rantanen or Draisaitl etc with the recaptured cap space.

If Marner would come to his senses and accept its time to move on then it would be in his best interest to work with Leafs management on a destination of his choice because it would allow an 8th year on a contract in a sign and trade or move next year to allow his new team to meet his salary demands. If he walks himself to UFA status then he can only sign a 7 year deal..

It's not just the 8th year that's in play.

For a good team, fitting in a $11m+ UFA is very difficult. Good teams just don't go into UFA with that kind of cap space or flexibility.

By making himself available this year, he can be acquired at $5.5m with 3rd party retention. Pretty much every team in the league has a forward in that price range who they'd happily lose for Mitch Marner.

That 1-year discount may push a team over the top, but more importantly, allows a team a full calendar year to adjust the cap structure, knowing that he'll be getting a $6m raise.

 

[ACC1224]

IMO it raises questions about where is all the money going that is raised. Again, I have no idea about the structure of the foundation, but it causes me to wonder how much is being taken out to support the family.

I’m sure his financial team set everything up, it would be audited and everything would be above board. It was probably structured as a way to lessen the tax hit players take here.
It seems anything he does is looked as being evil when the foundation probably does a lot of good.

 

[Maple Leaf]

Can't pay this clown to do nothing
Cya

 

[Antropovsky]

Are you serious about that?

On the MAF instagram they wished his wife a happy birthday but called her "board member"... they wished his mom a happy birthday but called her a "team member", his brother is in many of the event photographs with cheques, and there are numerous family photos of his dad, mom, wife and brother. It would be a pretty big deal for Marner to move teams, it's literally a whole family affair.

 

[Gary Nylund]

There was a clip online a few years with Mitch and one of his London team mates attempting to answer some fairly basic trivia questions. It wasn't pretty.

I think that was probably what I saw. How many provinces are there in Canada. Um, four? Yikes!

Finding a team that he is open to extend with and is willing to pay him enough to sign an extension and has the assets to satisfy the Leafs is the tricky part.

I don't think the assets part is that tricky, but that's probably because I'm not expecting a huge return. I'd be happy with a typical rental price like two 1st rounders, or preferably a prospect that's ready to contribute and the cap space.

 

[Antropovsky]

IMO it raises questions about where is all the money going that is raised. Again, I have no idea about the structure of the foundation, but it causes me to wonder how much is being taken out to support the family.

What members are paid by the foundation should be public information on Canada's charities and foundations website.