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We’re barely past the third week of free agency ahead of the 2024-25 season but it’s never too early to look further down the road, even more in the case of title-chasing franchises like the Toronto Maple Leafs.
That is what Ryan Dixon of Sportsnet did on July 18, putting together a preliminary list featuring the top 25 unrestricted free agents for the summer of 2025.
Dixon left some prominent players off his list (he expects them to sign an extension before July 1, 2025) but still listed two of the best players leaguewide and members of the Maple Leafs: forwards Mitch Marner (no. 1 UFA) and John Tavares (no. 2).
“As the summer wears on and we get further removed from the white-hot anger over Toronto’s latest playoff stumble, the reality of the Marner situation continues to take hold and the idea he’ll be with the Leafs on Day 1 of training camp — perhaps for the last time — becomes more and more likely,” Dixon wrote about Marner. “And, at that point, why wouldn’t the right winger play out the year ahead of becoming a UFA?”
The endless rumors surrounding Marner have overshadowed Tavares’ pending free agency. Dixon believes he still has enough fuel in the tank and he’s in an “interesting” situation entering next season and beyond.
“This is an interesting situation because Tavares’ $11-million cap hit causes much consternation. But what if you could have him at, say, half that figure? The top pick in the 2009 draft is still a very effective player and clearly has no desire to leave the team he grew up rooting for and inked a huge UFA deal with in 2018,” Dixon wrote.
Maple Leafs’ Mitch Marner Focused on Getting Extension
Marner’s contract runs through July 1, 2025, and carries a cap hit of $10.9 million. He could play through the remainder of his deal and leave the franchise as an unrestricted free agent at the end of it.
That’s because the Leafs granted Marner a full no-move clause. Thanks to the NMC, Marner can block any and every trade Toronto agrees to that involves him.
In a recent podcast, NHL insider Chris Johnston shared his thoughts about the Marner situation and what will happen with the forward next season. Johnston believes Marner will try to convince the Leafs to offer him an extension by playing throughout the 2024-25 season in Toronto.
“Mitch is–he’s been around long enough to know how fickle fans can be in both directions,” Johnston said on July 8. “And I’m sure it’s in his mind. ‘I’m gonna play so well they got no choice but to love me again.’ Not to say people don’t love him. I think that he’s become kind of the lightning rod for this entire team.”
Marner scored 26 goals and assisted 59 for 85 total points in 69 regular season games in 2023-24. He added 1 goal and 2 assists for 3 points in 7 postseason games.
John Tavares’ Days as Toronto’s Captain Numbered
In what could turn into a revealing move, the Maple Leafs might remove John Tavares’ ‘C’ from his chest next season according to NHL insider Nick Kypreos.
“From what I’m hearing, the Leafs are contemplating taking the captaincy away from him and giving it to Auston (Matthews). They will talk about it. I’m not saying it’s going to happen, but it’s real,” Kypreos said on July 1 appearing on Real Kyper & Bourne.
Fellow analyst Bryan Hayes of TSN echoed a similar sentiment a few days later, on July 4. However, Hayes believes it should be Tavares’ decision to give up the captaincy and hand those duties to Auston Matthews ahead of the 2024-25 season.
“I don’t think the organization should penalize John Tavares as if it’s his fault that they’re in the position they’re in,” Hayes said. “His game is not what it was six years ago. But I think John Tavares has been a consummate professional and has done everything you could expect him to do up here, short of winning.
“I think it would be an intriguing and possibly smart move for Tavares to read the tea leaves and proactively give the captaincy to Matthews.”
Tavares scored 29 goals and assisted 36 for 65 total points in 80 regular-season games in 2023-24. He added 1 goal and 1 assist for 2 points in seven postseason outings.
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