Insider Drops the Bomb, Confirms Mitch Marner Will NOT Be Re-Signing With Maple Leafs

It might have been 99% certain up till now, but some diehards in Leafs Nation were still holding out some hope that, against all odds, Mitch Marner would somehow end up re-signing with the Toronto Maple Leafs this summer. But we can put that to bed, now, as insider Andy Strickland has confirmed that Marner is done in Toronto, and will be "playing for a new team come next season."

Can confirm Mitch Marner will not be returning to Toronto. Will be playing for a new team come next season. #LeafsForever
— Andy Strickland (@andystrickland) June 13, 2025

Which new team, of course, has been the subject of much speculation over the last month or more, with everyone from contenders like the Vegas Golden Knights, LA Kings, Florida Panthers and Carolina Hurricanes, to teams more on the periphery but with oodles of cap space like the Columbus Blue Jackets, Anaheim Ducks and even Chicago Blackhawks all throwing their hats in the ring, and more.

One team set to go over $14M to try to land Mitch Marner

As for the Canes, insider David Pagnotta feels they could even go above the $14M mark and make Marner the highest-paid player in the league for next season.

When/if Mitch Marner hits the open market July 1, the expectation is the Carolina Hurricanes are going to take a massive swing to try and sign him. Sources say we shouldn’t be surprised if they go above $14M on an AAV over a 7-year term. UFA market opens in 18 days.
— David Pagnotta (@TheFourthPeriod) June 13, 2025

About the only thing left from Toronto's perspective is to see if they can do a sign-and-trade, which would allow Marner to get an 8th year on a new contract, and the Leafs to get some small asset in return.

The other domino to fall here, as Strickland notes, is that fellow pending UFA John Tavares, who the Leafs were supposedly playing hardball with, may now have a little bit more negotiating power on his side. In fact, as the insider notes:

Marner leaving Toronto could open the door for John Tavares to return. Heading into the season the Leafs were expected to allow the veteran center to walk. With Marner leaving that mindset has changed.

The last we heard (earlier this week) was that it was unlikely that Tavares would be taking a bargain-basement offer to return to Toronto.