Mitch Marner's Best Season Yet Could Spell Trouble For Brad Treliving and the Leafs
A positive for the Toronto Maple Leafs this season could be a negative in the long run.
Things seem to be going right in Toronto as the team heads in the right direction. Despite losing captain Auston Matthews to injury, twice, the team continues to be one of the league's top clubs, and now has Matthews back at full strength.
Despite multiple setbacks, so far the Leafs move at a solid pace, if they can maintain things and not deal with any more losses that have plagued them.
On the ice, the Leafs have also had mixed results from their players. Matthews struggled after returning from injury the first time.
Matthew Knies struggled with a bout of inconsistency before a recent string of strong performances. The same can be said for Nick Robertson.
For the Leafs, where they've had pains from the constantly injured and at times inconsistent roster, there's one consistent performer who's success may have some unintended consequences in the team's future.
Is The Toronto Maple Leafs Success A Potential Concern Later On?
The Toronto Maple Leafs know they are in a tight situation financially. The team is up against a tight cap window and still has two upcoming marquee free agents unsigned in John Tavares and Mitch Marner.
Marner looks poised to having a career year in Toronto, in 41 games he's currently second in the NHL in assists with 42 and fourth in points with 56.
While Marner is likely going to get a large contract, perhaps even more annually than Matthews at $13.25M, at the very least in the same range, he's playing his way to more money than expected unless he's willing to be flexible for the team.
There's also the concern of John Tavares playing at a high level as well. Currently at a point-per-game pace with 19 goals and 40 points in 40 games played, Tavares is exceeding his projected pace with the idea that he was naturally beginning to show his age.
Now once again revitalized into a star player with the team, Tavares raises a question over if Tavares is increasing his value.
Tavares is expected to take a "team-friendly" deal to remain in Toronto with his hometown Leafs. But if Tavares continues to produce like a top asset, at a point does a team-friendly deal start to lean more into a Tavares-friendly one with the year he's currently having?
The Toronto Maple Leafs may soon be concerned about how much they're paying for Marner's talents, and depending on how far the team goes in the playoffs and what more Marner can do, it may bring the question forward of how far the price can go.
