If the future of Mitch Marner in Toronto depends on anyone other than himself, it’s fair to say that the “other” person is going to be Maple Leafs general manager Brad Treliving.
Treliving provided some insight into the future of the star forward as the winger enters the final season of his six-year, $65.41 million contract, one that could mark his final year playing for the Original Six franchise.
Speaking with TSN’s Darren Dreger, Treliving emphasized Marner’s status as one of the top players in the league.
The GM also shared a rather blunt statement when asked what the winger needs to do this season to get a new contract extension.
“Mitch Marner is a star in this league,” Treliving said. “To your question, what does he have to do? He just has to be himself.”
Treliving defended Marner, removing weight from his shoulders and noting that the Maple Leafs’ shortcomings last season cannot solely be placed on the forward.
“Our failings or us falling short last year, I can’t speak to the previous years—I wasn’t here—but I can speak to last year. That doesn’t lie solely on Mitch’s shoulders,” Treliving said.
As speculation continues to swirl around Marner’s future, with some insiders wondering if the Leafs and Marner will part ways when his contract expires, Treliving stressed that Marner remains crucial to the team’s success.
“We need Mitch just to be Mitch,” Treliving said bluntly. “He doesn’t have to do anything more than that.
“This guy’s a terrific player. There’s very few players in the league that can produce the offense that he does, kill penalties, and be in the Selke Trophy conversation.”
Treliving’s comments don’t guarantee Marner’s future in Toronto, however, as the player is under contract for the upcoming season and thus is expected to perform to the best of his level in any case.
What happens after that, with Marner scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1, 2025, is anyone’s guess.
Treliving, for one, won’t tell anyone what’s going on behind the Leafs’ curtains.
“We’ll handle the business side quietly and away from the spotlight, and hopefully when we get something to report, we’ll report it,” Treliving said.
