NHL Rumors: Toronto Maple Leafs – Mitch Marner's status could drag on into next season

Sportsnet: Elliotte Friedman and Jeff Marek on 32 Thoughts: The Podcast – The Cup Final is Set episode talks about the Toronto Maple Leafs and Mitch Marner and their future.

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Marek: “And we will finish the news section with this name and this will not be given much attention. Mitch Marner. Recently filmed at…”

Friedman: “The coffee shop.”

Marek: “A coffee shop at the end of Toronto with head coach Craig Berube. What's your spidey feeling on Mitch Marner and Toronto, Elliotte?”

Friedman: “So everybody's really trying not to add fuel to the fire here, Jeff, so let's do it.”

Marek: “No, here we go. To rub it in. Who has games?”

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Friedman: “Everyone is trying to be really careful here. But one of the things that a few people have told me is, don't be surprised if this plays out next season with Marner in Toronto.

Now, there is a lot of time between now and things can always change but this is a serious conversation between the player and the team because everyone is determined to look like a winner here.

The Leafs are determined to make a good trade or with the cap room created by that trade, they made a big deal that they know they can't afford to be swinging and freaking out about. And the player is willing, and most importantly, the people around the player are willing to do this, who make themselves good, that they will not agree to anything that they think is bad for them. So this is a really complicated thing going in.

I want to throw a few more points out there for you. Number one, I think there's a real concern about how Toronto fans will react to Marner if he starts next year, undrafted. And you can't avoid that, and you know, other people and I, I'm the type of person who likes, watch if you want to bet, bet yourself. I have done it myself. Some people have bet themselves before. If that's what Marner wants to do, I think he has every right in the world to do it.

But he must understand that some fans will not react well to that and you have to play with that that you are comfortable with that? Can you handle that? And I believe that is one of the things that has been discussed.

And I think about the Maple Leafs, another problem they're dealing with here and I think there are people in the organization who feel strongly about this, is that they traded Nazem Kadri a few years ago when they were mad at him. . And lo and behold, Kadri was stopped twice in a row. There, there are people who feel very strongly at that time that they should make that trade. But Nazem Kadri went somewhere else, he made himself right, he was a critical member of the Stanley Cup championship, and he is the player that Toronto missed the most after he left. And I think there are people in the organization who look at this and believe that this could be Kadri 2.

When Marner goes elsewhere, the spotlight isn't so bad. He learns to balance everything and then go out and be a key player for a Stanley Cup champion in another city. What I believe is possible. To me that is a very legitimate thing. That Marner can go somewhere quiet and really thrive.

I think he is a great player. And I think he can be a better player without being flashy. And I think there are people in the organization who are very afraid of that happening. And I think that's part of the background to all of this.

So it looks like, if the contract demands on both sides are crazy. It will lead to them breaking up anyway. But I, I have to tell you, I, I don't think there is a certain way, I know there are people who are like 100% sold. Sunday, June 2nd, I don't know I'm sure about that.

And I think one of the biggest challenges here is going to be, kind of like the emotions of everybody involved. I think this is going to take a lot of diplomacy for most people to do well. “

Marek: “This one, you're right, this one is soft. You always take a risk in this situation going into next season, obviously you don't have a contract and then when the noise comes that, I'm going to be dull Elliotte, Muskoka five in a row.

And how do you handle skating with that? As you remember when that happened, and those were some you know, seasoned players with a strong backbone. You know, Mats Sundin, Bryan McCabe and Darcy Tucker.

I think when you're both a player and an organization, I don't think you want the player to go through that and I don't think you want the team to go through that. That is why it has the ability to be fire. That's why I agree with you when I say that this is really difficult.”

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Friedman: “Yes.”

Marek: “… to make it right.”

Friedman: “Yes. Because whenever there is a report that paints one side badly or says that this one person must do this.”

Marek: “Yes.”

Friedman: “I think people support it.”

Marek: “I agree.” That's right. That is a story that will not go away.”