Mitch Marner has a seismic decision this summer and the Toronto Maple Leafs winger might have just hinted at his decision during the end-of-season media availability Tuesday morning.
At the center of everything the Leafs do this summer, after being kicked out of the playoffs in Game 7 by the Florida Panthers in an extremely embarrassing fashion, is Marner's decision to stay or to go. One of the best wingers in the entire NHL could have the hockey world begging for his signature leading up to July 1, but it was undetermined if he would truly head into the open market or return to Toronto on a sizeable, long-term contract to stay with his hometown team.
While the decision was not final, the ninth consecutive playoff appearance from this team that ended in soul-crushing disappointment is letting a lot of fans be comfortable with starting fresh and breaking up this "Core Four" group of forwards. And Marner may have just hinted at that happening.
At the end-of-season press conference Tuesday morning, Marner went on about how he's feeling after the brutal Game 7 loss, and how the looming contract situation is affecting him.
“I think like everyone, saddened, devastated in a way, yeah, I mean it’s not easy,” Marner said. “It’s hard. I’ve loved being here, I’m so grateful, but I haven’t talked to my family yet. It’s still so fresh.”
Not to put on a tinfoil hat or jump to conclusions, but the way the 28-year-old forward phrased how he is looking at his time in Toronto, is certainly interesting and possibly telling. Maybe it was a mistake to phrase it in the past tense and like he's waving goodbye to a place he will never be in again, but it feels all too revealing.
As the fallout after Game 7 continues, the major talking point is the amount of pressure the Toronto market puts on the Maple Leafs, and whether or not any team can find success in these conditions. Marner rebuts all of that and spoke on the pressure in this city.
“There’s pressure everywhere” Marner said. “Doesn’t matter where you are. There’s always pressure, and we put the most pressure on ourselves, we hold ourselves to high accountability. We want to win every single year, and it’s hard to do. Like I said, we hold ourselves to some high accountability. The pressure from the outside doesn’t bother us too much, it’s more about what you put on yourself.”
Ain't that the truth. No matter where Marner plays next year, there will be pressure. Maybe slightly less in a place like Salt Lake City, or a different kind of pressure in Chicago or San Jose with expectations to just not look terrible -- but there is pressure regardless.
Now, all we have to do is wait and try to read as many tea leaves as possible. Marner will have to make his decision and so will center John Tavares, as the former captain heads to unrestricted free agency as well. This Maple Leafs team could look a whole lot different next training camp.