Entering a contract year, there’s no rush between the Maple Leafs and Marner to finalize an extension.
Darren Dreger from TSN said on “First Up” that Marner and the Leafs are in a good place, but no extension news is expected soon. Training camp is starting next week, and while many will talk about Marner’s contract, it seems both sides are fine with waiting. Marner is focused on having a strong season for himself and his team. He doesn’t feel pressured about his contract situation. There’s good communication between Darren Ferris and Brad Treliving, but they aren’t in heavy negotiations right now.
Trade rumors surrounded Marner after Pastrňák ended Toronto’s season in overtime of Game 7 during the playoffs. The Predators were mentioned as interested if Marner waived his no-movement clause . However, there hasn’t been much news about this for weeks. So far, there’s no sign he wants to waive his NMC to help a trade happen.
Marner’s Contract Situation:
Marner’s entering the last year of his six-year deal worth $65.41M signed in 2019 as an RFA. Since then, he has played over 20 minutes per game each season, finishing top-10 in Selke Trophy voting twice and averaging 1.24 points per game—eighth best in the NHL during that period. He’s one of the league’s top five wingers and a playmaking star on a talented team.
Toronto now has Treliving as GM for his second season and Craig Berube as head coach for his first season. Whether they’ll offer Marner enough of a raise from his current $10.9M cap hit remains uncertain. The team already has over $61.7M committed for 2025-26 with nine open roster spots left to fill.
Fans might think this situation is nerve-wracking but also exciting because anything can happen!
An eight-year extension for Marner might end up around $11M annually according to Evolving Hockey projections, but Leon Draisaitl’s recent eight-year deal at $14M AAV could push that number higher . While Marner’s 415 points over five years don’t match Draisaitl’s 538 points (in similar games played), Marner excels defensively with penalty-killing skills too.
In conclusion, it’s unclear if Toronto will meet Marner’s potential new price tag which could reach $12M per season if he hits free agency next summer.
What do you think? Should the Leafs hurry up or wait it out?
