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The Toronto Maple Leafs have signed 2015 fourth overall draft selection Mitch Marner to his three-year entry level contract.

Marner, an 18 year old player for the entirety of the upcoming 2015-16 season, has only the NHL or OHL options available to him. Barring a training camp performance to end all training camp performances, he will return to the OHL and therefore this contract will slide off the Leafs’ 50 Standard Player Contracts limit.

And, really, the Leafs level of input on his development while with the Knights is only marginally less than what it would be if Marner were playing with the Marlies next season. Said Brendan Shanahan: “I know the owner.” It’s one part of what made the Marner selection such a no brainer for the Leafs at fourth overall.

Marner is expected to start the season at center ice with Max Domi graduating out of the OHL ranks. His 126 point season is a tough act to follow, but if he can produce in a similarly impressive range and do so playing in the middle of the ice — while gaining some size and strength, working on his 200 foot game, all the usual stuff — that has to be considered a successful plus-one season.

More on the Marner selection:

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