The Toronto Maple Leafs will be looking to trade Mitch Marner by July 1, according to NHL insider Frank Seravalli.
Marner has been the subject of trade rumors since the Maple Leafs were eliminated in the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs by the Boston Bruins. With Marner entering the final year of the six-year $65.4 million deal, he has been linked to several teams. However, Marner has a full no-movement clause so he would have to approve any deal.
But, according to Seravalli who was on Sportsnet 590 The Fan on June 24, he expects the Maple Leafs to do everything they can to trade Marner by July 1.
“I think the Toronto Maple Leafs are going to do everything within their power to try and make something happen.”
@frank_seravalli joins @JDBunkis to discuss the latest buzz surrounding Mitch Marner.
“This is the week if it’s going to happen there is a strong likelihood that it happens this week. I think the Toronto Maple Leafs are going to do everything within their power to try and make something happen,” Seravalli said on “The JD Bunkis Show” on Sportsnet 590 The Fan on June 24.
“Whether or not he goes for it is a different story, but I think it is the story, if you are sitting there as a Leafs fans saying this team has made the determination that it is time to move on and he’s not willing, how is it going to work out for him next year when the Leafs tell everyone, yeah we tried to move him and he said no,” Seravalli added.
As Seravalli says, the goal is to trade Marner by the end of June due to free agency opening on July 1. Toronto will need to know if Marner will be on their team next season for cap reasons and who they can sign in free agency.
Marner recorded 26 goals and 59 assists for 85 points in 69 regular season games last year.
Insider Says Extension Is Not on the Table for Mitch Marner
Marner has said he wants to remain with the Maple Leafs, but Seravalli says that likely won’t happen. Part of the reason why Seravalli believes Marner will be traded is due to the fact he says Toronto won’t extend him.
“Extending him is not on the table. Let’s take all the emotion out of it, let’s think about this as a pure asset management play. You have a top-10 player, you have a top-15 player in the league, you are not extending him, meaning one year from now it is over. You are not moving him at the deadline, what sense would it possibly make for you to go into next season saying we are going to use the last year of his deal and let him walk for nothing,” Seravalli said.
With Marner likely to not be expected to be re-signed, Seravalli is confident that will lead to the Maple Leafs trading the skilled forward and will do it rather quickly.
Marner Wants to Remain With Maple Leafs
Following the Maple Leafs being eliminated in the Stanley Cup playoffs, Marner said at the year-end media availability that he wants to remain in Toronto.
Marner is from the Greater Toronto Area and grew up as a Maple Leafs fan, which is why he wants to remain with the team.
“That would be the goal. I’ve expressed my love for this place, this city. Obviously I grew up here. I’ll start thinking about (a contract extension) now and try to figure something out,” Marner said on May 6, via The Athletic.
Marner has been with the Maple Leafs since Toronto selected him fourth overall in the 2015 NHL draft.
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Insider: Maple Leafs ‘Will Do Everything’ to Trade $65 Million Forward by July 1