Insider Suggests Marner Could Sign Interesting Contract In Free Agency

It's not 100%, but it's very likely that Mitch Marner won't be re-signing with the Toronto Maple Leafs. Instead, he intends to test free agency where many teams will be throwing offers at him. As what many believe is the top player available on the market this season, he will be overpaid.

I don't think anyone gave the term of Marner's contract a second thought, but Elliotte Friedman said that there are some rumors that Marner could be considering a shorter term deal around the four year range. His buddy Auston Matthews has done something similar in Toronto to get the most money out of each contract. It didn't help the Maple Leafs, but could work out for whichever team lands Marner.

Although Marner will likely be able to keep up a high production rate throughout a seven-year deal since he just turned 28 years old, signing a four-year deal puts him at 32 years old, still highly productive, and able to sign a 7-8 year deal to take him to the end of his career and maximize money.

There has never been any hometown discounts with the core in Toronto, and that has been part of the problem. It appears as though that line of thinking is being taken elsewhere. Why this could benefit the team that signs him is it gives them a four-year window to chase a Stanley Cup and don't have to worry about being stuck in a long-term deal if things don't work out.

Teams like the Carolina Hurricanes, Vegas Golden Knights, and LA Kings are all right there and could use one elite player to put them over the top. Vegas has of course won more recently than the other two, but every one of them are looking to make the leap back up. Carolina was barely able to win a game in the conference finals, Vegas got run through by the Edmonton Oilers and haven't made it out of the second round since winning the Cup, and LA can't get past the Oilers in the first round.

Marner doesn't have a great track record later in series, but can easily help a team win and finish higher in the regular season. Maybe a change from Toronto alters his performances in the playoffs, which it very well could. He is going to get a high AAV regardless of where he signs and how long he signs for. I wouldn't necessarily want to be the team that signs him at $14 million AAV for seven years, but landing a star like Marner in his prime for just over half of that term is much better.