Mitch Marner has arguably been the focal point of the Leafs offseason so far. While the team has made some important changes, including replacing head coach Sheldon Keefe with Craig Berube, all eyes are still on Marner. Many expect the team to move him this summer after another first-round exit in the playoffs.
It has long been suspected that the team will look to break up the core-four at some point, and this seems like their most ideal opportunity to do so. However, Chris Johnston reported today that he believes the Leafs have not yet received an offer that is serious, and as such they intend to keep him, at least for now.
This strategy does seem like it would make the most sense for the Leafs. After all, asking a player of Mitch Marner's caliber to waive their no-trade clause is always going to be hard. The team might as well wait until they are happy with the return before going to Marner about it. However, if Marner rejects the deal, that could cause further problems for the Leafs.
