First off, it sucks to be writing about this topic right now.
The Leafs just completed what I would consider a solid trade deadline, notably improving their roster. Are they a perfect team? Of course not, but they are better today than they were on Thursday and have a real chance to embark on a deep playoff run.
And yet, all of it has been overshadowed by a bombshell report from Elliotte Friedman regarding their still-unsigned leading point-getter, Mitch Marner.
According to multiple sources, Carolina had another target.
The Hurricanes initially asked for Mitch Marner in return for Rantanen. Because it was for Rantanen, the Maple Leafs had to consider it. They told the winger their desire is to sign him, but they had to ask in this case. As is his right, Marner declined to move, re-iterating his desire to stay.
There’s a lot to digest here, and it’s too big of a story to ignore, knowing Marner’s importance to the organization and how significant of a trade this would have been.
The biggest frustration for everyone invested in the Maple Leafs‘ success is that it always seems like Marner and his camp can’t get out of their own way. As noted above, he declined the trade — fair enough — and reiterated his desire to stay. But at the same time, they are not engaging in contract negotiations during the season and haven’t come close to agreeing to terms.
Marner could sign a massive, generational-wealth contract with his hometown team right now, enjoy all the additional benefits that come with being a Leaf relative to other markets, live in his hometown with a baby on the way, and lock into a team that has: a solid veteran defense all under contract, a superstar 1C, the second-leading scorer in the league locked in long term, two good goalies signed, an emerging power forward under team control, and several useful veterans signed. He could send a message that he’s committed to this team — that this core started something special, and they will finish the job.
The added benefit would be removing the distraction from the market. This is a really good team, and with all the key players locked into place, the sole focus would shift to winning a championship.
If Marner signed the Rantanen deal right now — or even some “tax bump” variation of it (say, 12.5) — I’d commend it. It’s not even about a discount as much as it shows commitment — i.e., he’s here for the long haul and dedicated to winning in Toronto. This is what William Nylander did, and it’s one reason why he’s so well-liked by the fanbase. By and large, Marner would receive a positive reception for signing a similar deal, and it would set up the organization as division contenders for the next five-plus years.
Of course, none of that appears likely to happen at this point, and it will probably come down to the wire on a tumultuous negotiation in an ordeal that should be avoided altogether. It always seems to be about money, or respect, or something other than winning. Fans aren’t stupid, and they see right through it.
This contract should already be signed, sealed, and delivered. Alternatively, Marner should have said he doesn’t want to be here long-term, so let’s work out a trade.
Instead, we all continue to twist in the wind as reports surface that the Leafs approached Marner about a swap for Rantanen, to which he not only said no but also indicated a desire to stay in Toronto.
Marner is a great player, and I do believe at least part of him — or probably more — wants to remain here. It’s Marner’s right to conduct himself this way with the full NMC he was given in his current contract. However, he can’t have his cake and eat it, too, when people on the outside inevitably feel angered by the fact that he hasn’t signed a contract, isn’t open to a trade, and appears intent on squeezing out every dollar/potentially testing the open market to maximize his leverage.
I believe this is why Treliving was interested in Rantanen more than anything. This was an opportunity to swap a superstar winger under contract for his currently-unsigned superstar winger. There is a reason all reports have indicated that they went to Marner and prefaced it by noting their preference is to keep him. They clearly want to keep Marner — it has been clear all year — but Marner isn’t negotiating. Treliving has repeatedly said that it is easier to plan for the future when working with firm numbers, but at this point, they have no idea where this Marner situation will end up. They have left John Tavares waiting in the wings all year, in part to leave as much room as possible for Marner. Reading between the lines, it seems as though Tavares would have signed an extension yesterday if he could have.
Anyone of reasonable mind would take a signed Rantanen over a Marner who will leave for free, and that’s before we factor in feelings about the particular players on the ice. We’ll probably hear a lot of chatter about whether the Leafs think Marner is definitely leaving or if they value Rantanen more, but I think this is more about certainty and avoiding continued drama. Who wouldn’t sign up for that right now as we waste time discussing this ordeal rather than focusing on what should be a Cup contender gunning for the division title?
It’s hard to even lay blame for this situation at Treliving’s feet at this point. He inherited a tough situation from a then-rookie GM who made all sorts of basic mistakes (re: unable to negotiate properly with an RFA). Treliving has now tried to hammer out a deal with Marner, has actively stood up for Marner in the media, and has approached him with a different opportunity. The door has been slammed in his face at every turn.
This feels, in part, like a player who genuinely wants to be here but is leaving the business side to his agent to maximize the dollars, an agent who has a mixed reputation but is not a public figure facing the daily public backlash Marner does. If Marner really wants to be in Toronto, he should take more direct control of his situation and push his agent to get a proper deal done, allowing everyone to move on to bigger and better things. Instead, the narratives continue to take hold, leading to incessant public debates and drama.
Neither Nylander nor Auston Matthews took any discount to stay, but both signed well before hitting free agency and made it clear that they wanted to be in Toronto. While many fans have (justified) issues with both players at times, at least both put pen to paper within a proper timeline, and their situations were largely devoid of nonsense shenanigans.
I write all of this as someone who ultimately believes Marner will stay in Toronto, but I would appreciate the overall headache disappearing so we can simply focus on this team on the ice. It is a really good team with a very real chance to make a run.
Now, if Marner walks for free after declining the reported trade while indicating a desire to stay in Toronto, well…
