Stan Temming of Yahoo Canada: Darren Dreger was on TSN 1050 and said that the Toronto Maple Leafs and Mitch Marner’s camp have held some talks.
“The two sides have had exchanges, but I’m not talking about contract offers or negotiations, just back and forths,” said TSN hockey insider Darren Dreger during Leafs Lunch on TSN 1050. “I’d be surprised if the agent, Darren Ferris, doesn’t connect with (Leafs general manager) Kyle Dubas and the Leafs management crew in Buffalo this week during the (NHL Scouting) Combine, but I wouldn’t get your hopes up on that.”
Dreger says that he expects an aggressive offer from Dubas before July 1st and that it would be north of $10.5 or $11 million.
“I believe that the Marner camp is still looking at July 1st or beyond July 1st and he’s earned the right to do that,” Dreger continued. “He one hundred percent has earned the right to do that and I’d be shocked if Mitch Marner and Darren Ferris, or Mitch Marner, Darren Ferris and his dad or another member aren’t on an airplane on June 26th, starting the visiting process of the clubs that might be willing to offer sheet.”
Some thoughts from twitter on the Mitch Marner potential offer sheet situation
Scott Wheeler: “If Mitch Marner thinks he’s worth $11M and is willing to visit with offer sheet options, the Leafs should absolutely play chicken with him and allow that to happen. If he wants to play in a market that can afford that $, he’s likely going to a team that isn’t close to a Cup.”
Andrew Zadarnowski: Thoughts on the Mitch Marner contract/offer sheet.
“No team in their right minds would give up four first round picks for an offer sheet in the salary cap era.
However if the offer sheet is for $10.58M or less, just under the top tier, that’s only two 1st, one 2nd, and one 3rd. Actually palatable.”
Andrew Zadarnoski: “That said, this is all a negotiating tactic IMO. The threat of accepting an offer sheet is basically the only leverage he has coming off of an entry-level contract”
Will Scouch: “I really, really like Mitch Marner, and I think if he’s reasonably worth 9.5 and you get an offer sheet for 11, he’s probably not a guy you let walk for 15% more money, but this certainly sounds ridiculous and taking four 1sts and spending elsewhere would be enticing.”
Will Scouch: “Mitch is a Toronto guy, living a dream and playing with one of the better NHL scorers in a very symbiotic relationship.
For him, sacrificing that to sign elsewhere would be insane, so I find it unlikely he signs one.
For Toronto, letting him walk for $1-2mm+ also seems silly.”
James @Account4Hockey: Options for Maple Leafs GM Kyle Dubas
“- Overpay Marner on a bad contract before July 1
– Miss out on both major trade activity windows by calling Mitch’s bluff on an offersheet
– Win a Marner trade
– Use 4 1sts and cap space to add more WAR than Marner.”
How much is Mitch Marner actually worth on his next contract? My latest at @TheAthleticTO https://t.co/tzDtL6Btyz pic.twitter.com/44JZnkPjaL
— Ian Tulloch📊 (@IanGraph) May 22, 2019