The Leafs could find themselves in a sticky situation this summer if they don’t start signing a few of their top forwards soon.
Mitch Marner and Auston Matthews remain unsigned and there’s been growing speculation that one of the two could be offer-sheeted by a team seeking a franchise player this summer. General managers have for the most part followed an unwritten rule of avoiding such situations, but it seems like general managers are more open to the idea than they have been in past years. Marner, who leads Toronto with 62 points, responded to the prospect of signing one after practice.
The process isn’t as easy as it sounds. Teams that offer contracts of $10.1 million or more will be forced to surrender FOUR first round draft picks. Four!!!! After another sterllar season with the Buds it’s hard to imagine the 21-year-old not demanding at least that number, so a team will have to seriously mortgage their future if they want to follow through with it.
After signing William Nylander ahead of December 1st's RFA period and taking on Jake Muzzin’s contract on Monday, Toronto’s left with just over $4 million in cap space. GM Kyle Dubas is going to have to work some serious magic if he wants to keep his core intact and hold onto both players. Could a team like the Arizona Coyotes convince a player like Matthews to come home?
On Insider Trading, TSN’s Darren Dreger touched on Marner’s contract status and insisted that teams are “100 percent” preparing an offer sheet for Marner.
The following is an excerpt from Insider Trading:
Now, as we've reported, Matthews is getting closer to a contract extension and Darren Farris, who represents Marner, has made it publicly known that they have no intention of negotiation with the Toronto Maple Leafs until the end of the year. Look, teams around the National Hockey League are hoping that Farris is a man of his word and that there is negotiation until the end of the season or July 1st. I can tell you that teams are 100 per cent preparing an offer sheet for Mitch Marner. We'll see if it gets to that point. And as we've known, the Leafs have made it abundantly clear that if it does, they will match.
It’s going to be a very interesting couple of months in TO.
(H/T Insider Trading)
