Leafs GM Brad Treliving 'anticipates' Mitch Marner hitting open market in free agency
'Unless there’s a significant change here, I would anticipate that he's going to hit the market.'
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The long goodbye to Mitch Marner is nearing its end.
In his availability heading into the National Hockey League draft and free agency, Maple Leafs general manager Brad Treliving wasn’t bursting with optimism that the club will retain the star winger.
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Leafs GM Brad Treliving 'anticipates' Mitch Marner hitting open market in free agency Back to video
Not that we expected that Treliving was going to emerge in the Leafs dressing room at the Ford Performance Centre early on Thursday afternoon and tell us that a new contract with Marner was imminent.
“Probably describe it, unless there’s a significant change here, I would anticipate that he’s going to hit the market,” Treliving said. “I wouldn’t say a whole lot of change right now (in talks with Marner’s agent, Darren Ferris). We’re approaching free agency. We’ve had communication.”
Ferris didn’t immediately return a text seeking comment.
The plan on Marner’s side has been to go to July 1 and sift through offers, of which there should be plenty, before making a decision. As the top player available in free agency, Marner is likely going to land somewhere in the range of $13 million to $14 million US a year on his next contract.
Vegas, Los Angeles, Dallas, Anaheim and Carolina are thought to be the teams that will be at the front of the line to sign the 28-year-old.
What are the chances that Treliving trades Marner’s rights so the team isn’t left completely empty-handed upon his expected departure?
“We’ll see how everything goes,” Treliving said.
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Regarding centre John Tavares and winger Matthew Knies, Treliving had a brighter outlook.
Contract negotiations with Tavares, who would be unrestricted on July 1, and Knies, who would be an restricted free agent, continue.
“With John, it’s been positive,” Treliving said. “We’ve both expressed a shared outcome, which is John wants to stay and we want to keep John.
“We’re moving, hopefully in a direction to bring it to closure. My hope is, until proven otherwise, that we’ll have a good outcome there.”
With Knies, there is the possibility of an offer sheet coming from another team.
“Matthew, same sort of thing, lots of communication, not the same deadline, necessarily. But it goes without saying, Matthew is going to make more than what he’s making now ($925,000 AAV) in his next contract.
“You also want to protect yourself moving into the summer past July 1, we want to make sure we’re protected. I’m sure the next question is going to be (regarding) an offer sheet.
“That’s not anything you can operate in fear with, but you have to do proper business. We’re very hopeful that it will get to a good conclusion. When that is, time will tell.”
Treliving has been in contact with two other Leafs free agents, forwards Steven Lorentz and Max Pacioretty. At the end of the season, Pacorietty was unsure of his hockey future, but the 36-year-old veteran of more than 900 NHL games has since decided that he wants to keep playing.
Aside from the UFAs and Knies, forwards Nick Robertson and Pontus Holmberg are restricted free agents. The NHL deadline to issue qualifying offers to RFAs is June 30.
“The puzzle has to come into place, but I think Nick’s a good player,” Treliving said, referencing Robertson specifically. “He’s still an evolving player, he has a skill set, he shoots at the net. That’s a good skill set to have. We’ll see how it all plays out, but we’re in early days here. Nick’s a great kid.”
The challenges that Treliving will have in making up for the loss of Marner’s production aren’t limited, no matter that the Leafs, as of today, have approximately $25.7 million available under the cap. Chunks of that are earmarked for Tavares and Knies.
“There’s not a Mitch Marner tree that you go to and replace him,” Treliving said. “If (Marner leaving) indeed happens, we will continue to look at ways that we can help ourselves.
“You’re trying to make your team better, and you have the potential to lose a really good player. Everybody is focused on July 1. And I get it. We don’t play on July 2.
“You use the time starting on July 1 to try to make the team better. And that may come on July 1. It may come August 1, September 1. You’re not sure. You continue to work the market.”
Four weeks have passed since Treliving made the comment to media that there has to be some DNA change in the Leafs to avoid further playoff disappointments. It’s no coincidence that speculation has linked the Leafs to 37-year-old Brad Marchand, who was excellent in a variety of ways in the Florida Panthers’ run to a second consecutive Stanley Cup title.
Without being player specific, Treliving touched on the DNA thinking again on Thursday.
“It’s not about airlifting in 20 new bodies,” Treliving said. “You have to continue to evolve.
“It’s a mindset as much as anything. You need everything to be successful. You need skill, you need talent. Ultimately, it’s that competitiveness. We’ve seen (how crucial it is in) the last month, in the remainder of the playoffs.”
What would Treliving’s No. 1 priority be in free agency?
“We’ll see when we get there,” Treliving said. “You have to see what’s available. If Mitch is going, then everything that he does, as well as trying to get better. You look at all positions.”
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