'I can confirm that Mitch Marner will not be back in Toronto.'

It’s important to note, however, that this doesn’t automatically mean he won’t sign his next contract with the Maple Leafs. It is possible, for example, that Marner could sign an eight-year contract with the Maple Leafs (because unless his rights are traded by July 1, only the Leafs can offer him an eighth-year contract) before being immediately traded.

This is commonly known as a “sign-and-trade”.

For the Leafs, it would allow the team to pick up something… while for Marner, it would allow him to pick up an eighth-year contract while trading his uniform for that of another team.

That said, this is more of a technicality than anything else: the bottom line is that by 2025-26, Marner will no longer be wearing the Maple Leafs’ colors. There are a ton of teams eyeing him, and we’ll see which one he chooses.

And for the Leafs, the important thing now will be to try to “replace” Marner… but that’s a lot easier said than done.

Overtime

– I like to see that.

– What do you think?

– Logic is respected.