Insider: 'There Has Been No Negotiation' Between Marner & Maple Leafs
Despite reports to the contrary, there are no extension talks ongoing between the Toronto Maple Leafs and pending unrestricted free agent Mitch Marner. There are no numbers being exchanged. That's the word from insider Chris Johnston, speaking on TSN's Overdrive Monday afternoon.
Mitch Marner has not been willing to discuss a contract yet. This isn't a failed contract negotiation: There has been no negotiation.
"He's taken it upon himself to have this (very strong) season while not negotiating," Johnston continued. "I do think there's been tons of dialogue, it's not as though the phone line isn't being picked up on one side."
They haven't actually got down to brass tacks. It's not like there's offers going back and forth and they can't agree... It's not a circumstance that they don't want to pay Mitch Marner's price. They don't know his price. They can guess it, we can all guess it... (But) They haven't negotiated yet.
As insider David Pagnotta noted on NHL Network Radio on SiriusXM, Marner could just be interested in testing the free agent waters and seeing what other teams' value of him is, before potentially going back to the Leafs.
Rumors abound, including from Pagnotta himself, that Marner's camp will be seeking at least $104 million on an eight-year contract from the Leafs, which works out to a nice tidy $13 million AAV, just a shade under teammate Auston Matthews' $13.25 million.
But as Johnston reiterated over and over again today, there have not been any back-and-forth negotiations between Marner and the Toronto front office, because that's the way that the player and his camp has wanted it. They're waiting until the season is done.
Now, how the shocking weekend news of GM Brad Treliving asking him if he'd waive his no-move clause for a Rantanen trade will play into all this is another matter altogether.
And again, one that won't be settled until at least after the Leafs' season is done, or until July 1 (the start of free agency).
Photo: © Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images
