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Toronto Maple Leafs Roundtable: The Marner Saga

By Mike Stephens

TORONTO, ON - APRIL 21: Mitch Marner #16 of the Toronto Maple Leafs skates during the third period against the Boston Bruins during Game Six of the Eastern Conference First Round during the 2019 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at the Scotiabank Arena on April 21, 2019 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Kevin Sousa/NHLI via Getty Images)
TORONTO, ON - APRIL 21: Mitch Marner #16 of the Toronto Maple Leafs skates during the third period against the Boston Bruins during Game Six of the Eastern Conference First Round during the 2019 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at the Scotiabank Arena on April 21, 2019 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Kevin Sousa/NHLI via Getty Images) /
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BOSTON, MA – APRIL 23: Toronto Maple Leafs right wing Mitchell Marner (16) misses the tip but Boston Bruins goalie Tuukka Rask (40) keeps track of the puck during Game 7 of the 2019 First Round Stanley Cup Playoffs between the Boston Bruins and the Toronto Maple Leafs on April 23, 2019, at TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Fred Kfoury III/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
BOSTON, MA – APRIL 23: Toronto Maple Leafs right wing Mitchell Marner (16) misses the tip but Boston Bruins goalie Tuukka Rask (40) keeps track of the puck during Game 7 of the 2019 First Round Stanley Cup Playoffs between the Boston Bruins and the Toronto Maple Leafs on April 23, 2019, at TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Fred Kfoury III/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

James Tanner

Despite the rumours and posturing, I don’t think the Mitch Marner contract is going to drag out. I believe that the Leafs and Marner will work out a deal that sees the young star continue in Toronto for the next eight years at a cap hit of $11 million.

The Leafs will overpay Marner now in the hopes that the deal will be more team friendly as the years go by. This is far preferable to a bridge deal that will only see the AAV of the contract skyrocket. The Salary Cap is a sure bet to go up as the NHL legitimizes gambling and brings in a new expansion team, and if the Leafs give Marner some extra cash now to get those precious UFA years while he’s still in his 20s locked down, it will prove worthwhile.

Some of the more “moderate” Leafs fans will complain that this is an overpay, but those people lack imagination. Marner is about to embark on his age 22 season and hasn’t even hit his peak yet. Sure, he may not be the player his biggest fans want you to believe he is, but he’s damn good regardless. The Leafs cannot afford to lose him, and short term deals don’t pay off in the long run.

Dubas has to at least get one of his big three locked in for the full term, and now he’s got no choice for it to be Marner. So eight years, $11 million, and it will be team friendly within 2-3 years.

Mitch Marner is Not Different. dark. Next

Thanks for reading! How do you think the Marner Saga will play out?

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