How Mitch Marner turned sophisticated determine with Maple Leafs

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Nothing is definite besides dying and taxes.

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But because it pertains to the 2024-25 Maple Leafs season, we’d tack on one other piece to that previous adage: The dialog round the way forward for Mitch Marner and what the Leafs ought to do with the expert winger as he skates within the ultimate 12 months of a six-year contract that has a median annual worth of $10,903,000 US.

As soon as that call is made, whether or not it’s through the season or after it, whether or not it’s to signal Marner to a long-term extension, commerce him or let him stroll in free company, the controversy will rage on.

Let’s take a dive into Marner’s profession with the Leafs and the place issues stand on the eve of the common season.

THE CAREER

The Leafs had a good suggestion what they have been getting after they referred to as Marner’s title with the fourth decide within the 2015 NHL draft in Dawn, Fla., (by no means thoughts, Noah Hanifin) and the Markham native, the place the common season is worried, has produced at or past expectations.

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When Marner takes his first stride on Oct. 9 in Montreal towards the Canadiens within the Leafs regular-season opener, he’ll achieve this sitting at No. 8 on the Leafs profession scoring checklist with 639 factors in 576 video games. Two factors will transfer him previous Ron Ellis into seventh and Marner will begin 10 factors again of Auston Matthews, who’s in sixth, and 64 factors behind George Armstrong.

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Relying on what sort of 12 months Matthews has, Marner could possibly be within the prime 5 in franchise historical past when the common season concludes in mid-April. He’s already fifth in assists, requiring 49 to maneuver previous Dave Keon into fourth.

There’s no debating whether or not Marner has developed right into a star with the Leafs since his rookie season of 2016-17, when he had 61 factors in 77 video games. Two years in the past, Marner completed with 99 factors, the closest he has come to the 100-point milestone.

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Marner’s defensive consciousness, anticipation and talent to take the puck from opponents put him within the operating for the Selke Trophy two years in the past, when he completed third in voting behind winner Patrice Bergeron and Nico Hischier in second.

There’s a number of love for Marner within the Leafs dressing room, not just for what he does on the ice, but in addition his function getting the group collectively for off-ice capabilities.

And there’s respect for Marner that carries amongst opponents throughout the Nationwide Hockey League, one thing most lately echoed by Colorado Avalanche star Nathan MacKinnon through the NHL participant media tour in Las Vegas in September.

“It’s a tough league to win in and clearly I believe Marner will get numerous flak in Toronto, however he’s actually probably the greatest gamers within the league,” MacKinnon advised reporters. “I play with a few of the greatest gamers within the league after which I skate with Marns and he’s proper up there with anybody. Particularly at Vail (Colo., camp through the low season involving NHL stars), there’s numerous good gamers and he has caught out as probably the greatest for positive.

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“He seems superior. He’s so spectacular on the market.”

The Marner numbers add up. He’s in style with teammates and amongst his NHL friends.

So why have been followers — although not everybody who counts themselves as a member of Leafs Nation — clamouring, if not demanding, that Marner be traded this previous spring?

Properly …

THE PLAYOFFS

Marner’s output as soon as the post-season begins by no means has fallen consistent with what he has achieved within the common season, as he has recorded 50 factors in 57 profession Stanley Cup playoff video games.

Let’s be aware, too, that Matthews and William Nylander haven’t equalled their regular-season scoring when the playoffs get underway. Matthews has 48 factors in 55 playoff video games and Nylander has 43 in 54.

Contemplating the Leafs’ current behavior of having fun with a wonderful common season after which getting eradicated within the first spherical (apart from 2022, when Toronto was ousted in 5 video games within the second spherical by Florida after beating Tampa Bay), the frustration within the fan base is well defined.

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Couple it with the Cup drought that stretches again to 1967 and the truth that Marner, Matthews and Nylander are among the many highest-paid gamers within the NHL but don’t have anything to indicate for it when hockey will get most intense, and that frustration turns into additional clear.

It got here to a head this previous Might, although, when the Leafs misplaced in seven video games within the first spherical towards the Boston Bruins.

Of the three ahead stars, Marner was the one one to play in every sport and had simply three factors within the sequence when David Pastrnak burst previous him in additional time of Recreation 7 and beat Ilya Samsonov with a deke after taking Hampus Lindholm’s financial institution off the tip boards.

If that sequence doesn’t occur, if the Leafs prevail and go on to the second spherical, what got here within the days that adopted most likely wouldn’t have occurred. Coach Sheldon Keefe misplaced his job, giving strategy to Craig Berube, who was employed lower than two weeks later.

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THE AFTERMATH

President Brendan Shanahan, after one more fruitless playoff look beneath his watch, stated that “every thing is on the desk,” main some to consider that Marner’s time as a Leaf was coming to an finish.

And with Matthews having signed a four-year extension the earlier August and with Nylander placing his title on an eight-year extension final January, that left Marner, whose full no-move clause kicked in on July 1.

Commerce hypothesis went into overdrive, by no means thoughts that Marner stated publicly on the day of the Leafs’ exit conferences what he wished to not solely re-sign with Toronto, however stay a Leaf for the long run.

Not lengthy after taking up as Leafs basic supervisor in 2023, Brad Treliving indicated greater than as soon as how essential it was to get Matthews and Nylander beneath contract. A 12 months later, Treliving wasn’t as forthright, at the very least not publicly, refusing to take a position on Marner’s future whereas acknowledging the winger was “a celebrity within the league.”

Rumours have been rampant because the draft in Las Vegas approached on the finish of June, however any potential speak of a deal truly occurring fizzled.

A photograph of Marner and Berube assembly in a espresso store went viral, with it will definitely changing into public information that chats between two went nicely.

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In August, on the day that Matthews was named captain, Marner reiterated what he had stated on the finish of the season, that he cherished being a Leaf and wished to remain.

LET’S NOT FORGET

By way of zero fault of his personal, Marner was on the forefront of a few off-ice tales that dominated headlines for a lot totally different causes previously a number of years.

There was the Mike Babcock/hardest-working Leafs checklist fiasco throughout Marner’s rookie season in 2016-17, when the coach had Marner rank the Leafs in work ethic. Babcock then confirmed the checklist to a few of the veteran gamers that Marner had decrease on the checklist, a transfer that took Marner and his teammates aback.

On the time and in the long term, the incident didn’t put Marner in a adverse gentle within the room, as unusual because it was.

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Extra lately, Marner and his fiancée Stephanie LaChance (now married) have been car-jacked in Etobicoke in Might of 2022.

Neither was harm and Marner took to social media days later to thank teammates, mates and followers, saying their assist “meant the world to us.”

WHAT COMES NEXT?

The phrase round Marner through the summer time was that he skilled with extra willpower than ever, prepared to return to coaching camp to push any contract stress apart together with his greatest season within the NHL.

Commerce speak has quieted down, tossed on the backburner because the Leafs begin recent and get accustomed to the teaching fashion of Berube.

A 12 months in the past, Nylander went into the ultimate season of his contract and went on to have his greatest NHL season, ending tenth in league scoring with 98 factors. Within the midst of it, he signed in January after beginning with 54 factors in his first 37 video games of the season. His new pact has an AAV of $11.5 million. Nylander wound up ending tenth in scoring.

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Marner’s agent, Darren Ferris, received’t be in any rush to get one thing achieved, presumably preferring to let the season play itself out earlier than negotiations develop into critical.

If that occurs, the Leafs may need to stroll a balancing act on the NHL commerce deadline on March 7 — do they maintain Marner or take the possibility that he may signal elsewhere in free company, leaving the Leafs with nothing?

In our current pre-season Leafs ballot, we requested what the Leafs ought to do with Marner if he’s not signed by the deadline. Of practically 1,000 readers who answered the query, 56.2% stated to commerce him, with 43.8% voting to maintain him.

And 78% figured that taking part in within the stress of a contract 12 months received’t have a adverse affect on Marner’s manufacturing.

At this level, no situation might be dominated out.

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In the event you argue that the Leafs can’t win, or received’t win, with Marner, recall such NHL stars as Steve Yzerman and Alex Ovechkin. Yzerman was 32 and on the finish of his 14th season when he received his first of three Cups with the Detroit Crimson Wings. Ovechkin was 32, concluding his thirteenth season, when he lastly guided the Washington Capitals to a Cup in 2018.

Having stated that, there’s an extended checklist of NHL stars who by no means received the Cup throughout their prolific careers, together with Joe Thornton, Jarome Iginla and Marcel Dionne.

Marner, ranked twenty third on TSN’s most up-to-date checklist of prime 50 gamers within the NHL (Matthews was third and Nylander was twentieth), turns 28 subsequent Might. As a lot because the endurance of some within the fan base has worn skinny with the Leafs core, Marner’s greatest NHL days — and people of Matthews and Nylander — are sure to be forward of him.

Will that lead to a Cup sooner or later? Time will inform.

Marner’s charity work in his hometown has been essential, elevating greater than $2 million by way of his Marner Help Basis for kids’s care. He routinely brings followers, many clad in Marner sweaters, out of their seats at Scotiabank Area.

Marner has wished to be a Leaf since he was a bit of boy. His dream of profitable the Cup in Toronto received’t change as he begins the final 12 months of his contract.

tkoshan@postmedia.com

X: @koshtorontosun

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