Maple Leafs Predicted to Bring Back $65 Million Star in Surprise Free Agency Move

The Toronto Maple Leafs have some big decisions to make in the coming weeks, including the future of star Mitch Marner as he heads to free agency.

Marner has reached the end of his six-year, $65 million contract with the Maple Leafs and is expected to be one of the most sought-after targets in free agency. Though there has been no clear movement toward an extension with the Maple Leafs, one insider believes that Marner could find his way back to Toronto for the near future.

Austin Nivison of CBS Sports identified the top landing spots for the two-way forward, putting the Maple Leafs among the top five contenders to sign Marner. Nivison noted that it could come as a bit of a surprise given the speculation that Marner will leave, but the team would likely regress without him in 2025.

"This isn't the sexiest option out there, and some Maple Leafs fans may even roll their eyes at this suggestion," Nivison wrote. "Yes, the current core of players has failed big to win in the playoffs, and keeping Marner makes it much harder to address other needs down the lineup. That said, Marner is a terrific player, and there's a good chance Toronto is worse without him next season."