The Toronto Maple Leafs will be looking to trade Mitch Marner by July 1, according to NHL insider Frank Seravalli.
Marner has been the subject of trade rumors since the Maple Leafs were eliminated in the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs by the Boston Bruins. With Marner entering the final year of the six-year $65.4 million deal, he has been linked to several teams. However, Marner has a full no-movement clause so he would have to approve any deal.
But, according to Seravalli who was on Sportsnet 590 The Fan on June 24, he expects the Maple Leafs to do everything they can to trade Marner by July 1.
pen there is a strong likelihood that it happens this week. I think the Toronto Maple Leafs are going to do everything within their power to try and make something happen,” Seravalli said on The JD Bunkis Show on Sportsnet 590 The Fan on June 24.
“Whether or not he goes for it is a different story, but I think it is the story, if you are sitting there as a Leafs fans saying this team has made the determination that it is time to move on and he’s not willing, how is it going to work out for him next year when the Leafs tell everyone, yeah we tried to move him and he said no,” Seravalli added.
As Seravalli says, the goal is to trade Marner by the end of June due to free agency opening on July 1. Toronto will need to know if Marner will be on their team next season for cap reasons and who they can sign in free agency.
Marner recorded 26 goals and 59 assists for 85 points in 69 regular season games last year.
Insider Says Extension is not on the Table For Marner
Marner has said he wants to remain with the Maple Leafs, but Seravalli says that likely won’t happen. Part of the reason why Seravalli believes Marner will be traded is due to the fact he says Toronto won’t extend him.
“Extending him is not on the table. Let’s take all the emotion out of it, let’s think about this as a pure asset management play. You have a top-10 player, you have a top-15 player in the league, you are not extending him, meaning one year from now it is over. You are not moving him at the deadline, what sense would it possibly make for you to go into next season saying we are going to use the last year of his deal and let him walk for nothing,” Seravalli said.
With Marner likely to not be expected to be re-signed, Seravalli is confident that will lead to the Maple Leafs trading the skilled forward and will do it rather quickly.
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