Player Discussion Mitch Marner, Yet Again

[Leaf Fans]

If Marner walks, not trading Knies for a signed Ratanen will go down as a massive organizational blunder.

If Marner walks , he walks. The team can live without him.

 

[TheGreenTBer]

Marner signs just before a July 1st, $14M x 8 years. Book it.

I'd be incandescent for a few minutes, then I'd realize i have better things to do with my time than watch these guys touch each other's assholes for 86 to 89 games a year, and I'd stop worrying about it.

 

[Leaf Fans]

If Treliving let's one of our best talents in decades leave for nothing, it's a huge blunder, not a positive.

He can't let him leave for nothing. It could be Marner's choice to leave and whoever makes the decision that results in Marner signing elsewhere, the Leafs will have cap space.

 

[Stephen]

Yup, and I think that’s the Marner camps whole position. Matthews and I are in the same tier of player. It may not be McDavid tier but I’m on par with Matthews. Whether that’s true or not is another debate, but that’s how he feels.

Matthews failing is he never maintained a consistent enough separation from Mitch. Earlier in their careers Matthews was always missing big chunks of time with injuries while Mitch just piled on the points. Matthews has obviously peaked higher but even this year you can feel his career ups and downs year to year. And he's not keeping up with the Draisaitl's, Mackinnon's of the world so there's a disconnect between his reputation and where he's failed to be in the right peer group. So that inconsistency makes someone like Mitch look on and feel equal and maybe frustrated. I don't agree personally but I could see those dynamics.

 

[al secord]

He can't let him leave for nothing. It could be Marner's choice to leave and whoever makes the decision that results in Marner signing elsewhere, the Leafs will have cap space.

Cap space means jack. Especially with our FO. This should have been handled in the summer.

 

[LeafEgo]

I do love how among the many posters who didn’t want the leafs to negotiate with Marner till after the playoffs there a few of them who are now mad Marner won’t negotiate till after the season

Those are two different things.

Negotiations or not, Leafs should not be offering a contract until after the playoffs. If they do otherwise, they own that mistake - thats bad.

But at the same time, if Marner then won't entertain discussions than his actions don't match up with his words and is negotiating in bad faith. That's also bad (simultaneously).

 

[Smif]

This pre-game show with some beauties:

Marner, the best Toronto born player ever to play for Toronto.

Marner, the most scrutinized player ever.

We don't deserve him.

 

[DarkKnight]

lol, so I guess everyone can relax now. He did say he wasn’t going to negotiate during the season. So maybe after playoffs it gets settled

Others have said they've offered up to 13.8, so what to believe? I'd prefer this scenario it's less contentious.

 

[thewave]

In Pittsburgh maybe…

Look at the guy in office. Look at the stock market. They don't think we will be in recession and the cap projections will be thrown in the trash.

They honestly don't see it coming.

 

[Confucius]

This pre-game show with some beauties:

Marner, the best Toronto born player ever to play for Toronto.

Marner, the most scrutinized player ever.

We don't deserve him.

As long as we pay the most…

 

[TheGreenTBer]

As long as we pay the most…

"Everybody's got a price...for the Million Dollar Mitch"

 

[francis246]

Those are two different things.

Negotiations or not, Leafs should not be offering a contract until after the playoffs. If they do otherwise, they own that mistake - thats bad.

But at the same time, if Marner then won't entertain discussions than his actions don't match up with his words and is negotiating in bad faith. That's also bad (simultaneously).

How don’t they match up? He literally told the leafs in September and all the fans. He is focused on playing hockey, he is not negotiating during the season. He’s not negotiating in bad faith. There’s been no formal offers made. Just a ton of speculation.

He’s been up front with the leafs.

 

[Stephen]

How don’t they match up? He literally told the leafs in September and all the fans. He is focused on playing hockey, he is not negotiating during the season. He’s not negotiating in bad faith. There’s been no formal offers made. Just a ton of speculation.

He’s been up front with the leafs.

I mean, it's an adversarial position, but he's within his right to not negotiate.

 

[Confucius]

How don’t they match up? He literally told the leafs in September and all the fans. He is focused on playing hockey, he is not negotiating during the season. He’s not negotiating in bad faith. There’s been no formal offers made. Just a ton of speculation.

He’s been up front with the leafs.

Thank you, I was getting miffed seeing 12 or even worse 13 being offered, whewww. lol!

 

[BraveCanadian]

Tbf Marner sacrificed his 100 point season to get ready for Tampa Bay in 2023. He put the team over getting his 100 points. He agreed to be scratched when he was 1 point away from 100 in game 82. It sucks fans kinda throw that in his face now. Especially When Matthews chased 70 instead of putting the team first, Nylander chased 100 and got hurt.

This is forgotten a lot around here

 

[Mr_Fun]

Thank you, I was getting miffed seeing 12 or even worse 13 being offered, whewww. lol!

They may have actually made an offer but if Mitch is staying true to his word, he's not negotiating until seasons end. I don't see how anyone can hold that against him, especially since that was his M.O. since September.

 

[DarkKnight]

How don’t they match up? He literally told the leafs in September and all the fans. He is focused on playing hockey, he is not negotiating during the season. He’s not negotiating in bad faith. There’s been no formal offers made. Just a ton of speculation.

He’s been up front with the leafs.

If this is true, that they've talked but not negotiated, then I feel a lot better about this situation. Numbers are just baseless speculation, the waiver request just the Leafs covering their bases because they don't know where Ferris is at, perhaps a tactic to get negotiations started, whatever. Bottomline, if Ferris said see you after the season, he wants to be a Leaf, we will talk then, and that's been the end of it, I can live with it...not happy but it isn't all the speculation we've heard.

 

[francis246]

Thank you, I was getting miffed seeing 12 or even worse 13 being offered, whewww. lol!

Yeah I think his leaf number will be much lower than his UFA number it seems like. I did a lot of listening today. It sounds like the leafs have known all along he will do what Stamkos did and just explore what’s out there. But he hasn’t said to the leafs he’s not open to coming back. My guess is 12.5 x 3 or 4 to stay with the leafs and my understanding is the playoffs will be a big determining factor.

 

[francis246]

If this is true, that they've talked but not negotiated, then I feel a lot better about this situation. Numbers are just baseless speculation, the waiver request just the Leafs covering their bases because they don't know where Ferris is at, perhaps a tactic to get negotiations started, whatever. Bottomline, if Ferris said see you after the season, he wants to be a Leaf, we will talk then, and that's been the end of it, I can live with it...not happy but it isn't all the speculation we've heard.

It sounds like the leafs were trying to get the ball rolling and see if they can spark up some sort of negotiation before the trade deadline. If these reports are believed to be true of course.

I think we just have to take Marner and the leafs word at face value and let it sort out after the playoffs. A small part of me thinks it might get settled before UFA. As the baby comes closer, I’m sure the big boss (his wife) might have more of a say than anyone else.

 

[DarkKnight]

It sounds like the leafs were trying to get the ball rolling and see if they can spark up some sort of negotiation before the trade deadline. If these reports are believed to be true of course.

I think we just have to take Marner and the leafs word at face value and let it sort out after the playoffs. A small part of me thinks it might get settled before UFA. As the baby comes closer, I’m sure the big boss (his wife) might have more of a say than anyone else.

Johnston obviously got some good intel, my guess the Marner camp to blunt the new narrative forming. It's the simplest explanation too.

 

[LeafEgo]

How don’t they match up? He literally told the leafs in September and all the fans. He is focused on playing hockey, he is not negotiating during the season. He’s not negotiating in bad faith. There’s been no formal offers made. Just a ton of speculation.

He’s been up front with the leafs.

There's nothing wrong with that approach, but don't brand yourself as the most devoted Leafs player in history while refusing to even have discussions with that same team until free agency opens.

All the while in cahoots with Ferris, sponsoring his dirty tradecraft.

I dont care all that much, but generally speaking when people recognize inauthenticity they are put off.

 

[jaric1862]

If Marner walks , he walks. The team can live without him.

Might even be a good thing. We'll have more money to fill holes in the lineup.

 

[francis246]

Johnston obviously got some good intel, my guess the Marner camp to blunt the new narrative forming. It's the simplest explanation too.

A couple other podcasts including the SDPN were echoing similar things. So I’m sure there’s some small truths to the fact that there hasn’t been a ton of negotiations going on. Adam Wylde said he checked in with a few people close and basically they echoed what CJ said. Marner isn’t closed off to signing with the leafs but the priority has been focusing on the season, they don’t want to negotiate in seasons, felt like he’s earned the right to test and that was communicated to the leafs from training camp. So we can take that for whatever that means.

 

[Leaf Fans]

Cap space means jack. Especially with our FO. This should have been handled in the summer.

Cap space means exactly what it is.

 

[francis246]

There's nothing wrong with that approach, but don't brand yourself as the most devoted Leafs player in history while refusing to even have discussions with that same team until free agency opens.

All the while in cahoots with Ferris, sponsoring his dirty tradecraft.

I dont care all that much, but generally speaking when people recognize inauthenticity they are put off.

When has Marner ever done that? Seems like you’re projecting. The man literally just says, he loves being a leaf and is focused on winning with them right now and doing what he can on the ice... Not sure how that is somehow translated into I’m the most dedicated leaf??

Steve Dangle put it best in todays SDPN episode (and he’s been on the get rid of Marner train since the Florida loss), just seems like people are mad to be mad. None of this information is new. We always knew he wasn’t going to waive his no trade and Marner has told us he ain’t signing in season.