The Toronto Maple Leafs are facing a pivotal offseason, and the storylines are starting to take shape. From Mitch Marner potentially becoming the highest-paid player in NHL history, to contract discussions with veteran John Tavares, to under-the-radar decisions like re-signing Pontus Holmberg, each move this summer could define the team’s direction for years. Some of these choices revolve around money, others around loyalty, and still others around untapped value. But taken together, they paint a picture of a franchise trying to reshape itself without letting go of its core identity.
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In today’s update, we dig into three key stories: the staggering offers being floated for Marner from rebuilding teams, the challenging negotiation path ahead with Tavares, and why Holmberg might quietly be one of the smartest signings Toronto can make this offseason.
Item One: Report: Four Teams Prepared to Make Marner NHL’s Highest-Paid Player
The Marner sweepstakes are heating up, and the numbers being floated are staggering.
According to The Athletic’s James Mirtle, four non-playoff teams — the Anaheim Ducks, San Jose Sharks, Chicago Blackhawks, and Utah Mammoth — are willing to make Marner the highest-paid player in NHL history. Each team has over $20 million in cap space and is reportedly ready to offer him upwards of $14 million per season to become their franchise cornerstone. While none of the four is playoff-ready, they all want a headlining name to accelerate their rebuilds, and Marner would certainly qualify.
That said, there’s tension in the rumours. Other insiders have linked Marner more strongly to contenders like the Vegas Golden Knights, Florida Panthers, or Los Angeles Kings — teams where winning now is more realistic. So, the real question becomes: what does Marner want most? If he’s chasing a Stanley Cup, he’ll wait for a playoff-bound club to find the cap room. But if maximizing his earnings is the top priority, one of those four rebuilding teams could lure him with a record-setting deal. [If he really is leaving, and I still believe that isn’t a for-sure thing, my bet is Anaheim.]
Item Two: Insider Says $5 Million AAV for Tavares Is a ‘Stretch’
Contract talks between the Maple Leafs and Tavares are underway, but a tidy hometown discount might not be in the cards. According to Pierre LeBrun, both sides remain committed to working something out, but the idea that Tavares would accept a bargain $5 million average annual value (AAV) seems to be a stretch.
The 34-year-old may be aging, but his production this past season — 35 goals in the regular season and another five in the playoffs — suggests he still has value. The sticking point isn’t just the money, but also the term. The Maple Leafs want flexibility, but Tavares likely wants some security in what could be his final contract.
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Tavares has logged seven seasons with Toronto, bringing leadership, consistency, and professionalism to the locker room. While he’s no longer the team captain, he remains a central figure on and off the ice. If Marner departs, the veteran centre could again take on a more prominent leadership role, especially with younger players like Easton Cowan and Matthew Knies expected to take bigger steps. The outcome of this negotiation will tell us a lot about how much value the organization still places in Tavares’ role moving forward. [For me, the idea of a longer term at a lower cost makes sense. I’m guessing that, after his playing days, Tavares will jump into a position within the organization.]
Item Three: Why Pontus Holmberg Is a Smart Re-Signing for the Maple Leafs
For fans of Holmberg back home in Sweden — and those watching in Toronto — there’s every reason to believe that the youngster will be one of the first extensions general manager (GM) Brad Treliving handles this summer. Holmberg has quietly become one of the Maple Leafs’ most efficient bottom-six contributors, offering the kind of surplus value that’s golden in this salary-cap era. His expiring contract was just $800,000, and his ability to play multiple forward positions, kill penalties, move up the lineup in a pinch, and draw more penalties than nearly anyone else in the NHL made him a hidden asset in 2024–25. And Holmberg’s role could expand next season with a coach like Craig Berube, who trusts him. Berube also believes there’s more offence in Holmberg than we’ve seen.
What Holmberg lacks in flash, he makes up for in steadiness. Despite being scratched at times and used flexibly across lines — from anchoring defensive units to supporting William Nylander in tougher matchups — Holmberg still posted strong defensive metrics and was near the top of the team in expected goals against per 60 minutes. Even with limited offensive production, some can be chalked up to a career-low shooting percentage. Based on his usage, play-driving, and on-ice penalty differential (plus-17), he created more offence for Toronto than his raw numbers suggest.
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Holmberg isn’t a top-six star, and likely never will be. Still, that’s not what makes him valuable. He’s the modern prototype of what winning teams need in their depth: positionally versatile, defensively responsible, and cheap enough to balance out the top of the payroll. If he’s re-signed at a Bobby McMann-style deal, Maple Leafs fans should expect Holmberg to remain a fixture in Berube’s system — and maybe even take a step forward with more stable linemates and better shooting luck. Either way, he’s earned another look.
What’s Next for the Maple Leafs?
This is a strange offseason on the horizon. The near future seems to hinge on how quickly the Maple Leafs clarify their direction, which likely starts with Marner. If he leaves, the roster and salary-cap picture shift dramatically, impacting what’s possible with Tavares and other veterans. In the meantime, expect the front office to focus on depth signings like Holmberg while monitoring how the free agent and trade markets develop.
With a second-year coach in Berube and high expectations from fans, the Maple Leafs don’t just need to be active — they need to be strategic. The next few weeks could set the tone for everything that follows.
