Report on Mitch Marner's Contract Negotiations Leaves Maple Leafs Fans Stunned
NHL Insider Jame Mirtle dropped a bombshell regarding Mitch Marner and the Maple Leafs, stating the two are getting close to an extension.
With questions around Mitch Marner and whether or not he's going to re-sign with the Maple Leafs, we wait with bated breath for an answer one way or another.
It all comes down to money, and with Marner looking to command a huge payday come free agency, it's going to take a lot of convincing to have him stick around. Would a deep playoff push help? Potentially, but it can also backfire on the team if a team finds that worth the price and snatches him up.
So it's quite interesting to hear that not only are Marner and the Maple Leafs close to an extension, but the amount being fought over is a ridiculously low amount.
According to NHL Analyst and reporter for The Athletic, James Mirtle, revealed that the Maple Leafs and Marner are close to an extension with the amount disagreed upon only being a million bucks.
Mitch Marner's Minuscule Money Gap
Considering the league minimum is only $225,000 away from that, it's a stunning amount to be apart on. This isn't Vladimir Guerrero wanting over $600M; we're talking more money than Toronto spent on Jani Hakanpaa, who has played twice this year.
Marner is in the middle of a career year, on pace to break the century point mark, and he's been the team's best player night in and night out, shouldering the load through two Auston Matthews injuries and still helping the team succeed, and historically the team is worse without Marner.
With 79 points in 62 games, he's been lights out for Toronto and was also instrumental in Team Canada winning the 4 Nations Face-Off which is a huge boost toward his productivity come clutch time.
Marner clearly wants to stay with the team and has reiterated time and time again that he wants to win with the Maple Leafs. The team needs to get out of their own way and just pay Marner what he's worth.
If Marner wants more money, he's risking a lot for a little bump in his bank account that's a risky gamble for someone who hasn't won anything yet.
Both sides seem to be so close, with a very small gap separating the two parties. They should meet in the middle and come to an agreement, before the gap between them becomes a bridge too far.
