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Free Agents wary of signing in Toronto due to Mitch Marner situation

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Tom Banks
July 3, 2024 (4:57 PM)

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Mitch Marner of the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Photo credit: Forbes

The Toronto Maple Leafs have a brewing situation on their hands with Mitch Marner, and now it's impeding their ability to land top names in free agency.

On day one of NHL free agency, the Toronto Maple Leafs made a few solid moves, but since then, they've been unable to follow it up with bigger free agent/trade acquisitions. Now, we may know the reason for that, as NHL Insider Elliotte Friedman has revealed that the ongoing Mitch Marner situation has something to do with it.

"It's funny because one player told me that there are some players who have watched from outside what's gone on with this whole Marner thing over the last month or two and they're like 'I want no part of that, like I don't want anything to do with that.'

It takes a special person [to play in Toronto]. But I think there were some players like 'Nope, that's not going to be me.'"

It's been clear for a long time that playing in Toronto isn't easy given the constant media scrutiny, and to see the way that the 24/7 discussion about Marner has gone on, it's safe to say that free agents are taking note.

With the new season just a few months away, the last thing that the Maple Leafs want is to have the circus follow them, so whether it's trading Marner, extending him or officially stating that he will be moving on as a free agent in 2025, the fans need answers, and so do other potential Maple Leafs players.

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3 JUILLET \| 982 ANSWERS Free Agents wary of signing in Toronto due to Mitch Marner situation Will the Toronto Maple Leafs solve the Mitch Marner situation via trade this off-season?
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