Marner Refusing to Waive NMC Shows Desire to Stay with Maple Leafs Long-Term

By now, everyone around the NHL has heard the report from Elliotte Friedman regarding the Toronto Maple Leafs being in on trade talks with the Carolina Hurricanes for Mikko Rantanen. Friedman revealed some interesting details. He reported late yesterday afternoon that the Hurricanes were asking for Mitch Marner in return for Rantanen.

“I wasn’t focused on it. You know, I’m sure that I had a feeling that maybe something might happen, but I’m here to play hockey with this team, like I said, & I’m focused with this team & that’s what I can tell you.”

The second question that was asked was: (courtesy of Mark Masters of TSN)

Does Mitch Marner envision himself being a Leaf next season?

“I’m not going to get into this contract stuff. I’ve been very grateful & I’ve loved my time being a Leaf. That’s [how] I’ll leave it with you guys.”

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This is to be expected. Marner and his representatives have decided that they won’t talk about his pending contract during the season to better his mental health. He is someone who has been very scrutinized in the media, which has put a ton of pressure on him since his early days with the Maple Leafs. This is a good strategy to have, especially with how well he is playing this season.

What’s Next for Marner & the Maple Leafs?

Only time will tell. However, if him refusing to waive his NMC is any indication, it looks like he will be a Maple Leaf for a long time. Unfortunately, it is unlikely that a deal will be agreed upon during the season, based on Marner and his representatives’ decision to not discuss an extension until the end of the season. However, that could be a good thing for the organization. If things go south during the playoffs, and they find themselves out in the first round, it will allow Toronto’s front office to pivot and potentially even pull off a sign-and-trade deal, similar to what Treliving did during his time with the Calgary Flames when he dealt Matthew Tkachuk to the Florida Panthers.

For now, though, Marner remains a key piece of Toronto’s core, and all signs point to him wanting to keep it that way.