Dreger on Mitch Marner: ‘I think Treliving would rather extend than trade’

TSN’s Darren Dreger provided an update on the ongoing Mitch Marner saga on Monday’s edition of the First Up show with Aaron Korolnek and Carlo Colaiacovo on TSN 1050 in Toronto.

The longtime TSN insider indicated that while it’s possible Leafs general manager Brad Treliving approaches the Marner camp with a trade at some point this offseason, he believes Leafs management would prefer to sign the 27-year-old forward to a contract extension.

“I believe, based on people that I talk to — again, as we’re having this conversation — Marner’s preference is to play out his contract with the Toronto Maple Leafs. He’s got one year remaining,” Dreger said. “Doesn’t mean that he’s going to walk out the door after next season. That’s doesn’t mean it at all. Of course, there’s risk of that, because he’d be a pending unrestricted free agent. That’s not the perfect position for the Toronto Maple Leafs, but Marner negotiated his deal in good faith, including the no-move clause.

“And are we so sure that Toronto doesn’t want to extend Mitch?” Dreger continued. “I’m not. I think Treliving would rather extend than trade, but they’re not having those discussions yet, either. It’s still early. It’s very premature across the board.”

Marner is coming off another standout regular season with the Maple Leafs in which he racked up 26 goals and 85 points in 69 games.

However, the Markham, Ontario product managed just one goal and three points in seven games during Toronto’s Round 1 playoff loss to the Boston Bruins, fuelling speculation that the Leafs might look to move him ahead of the final year of his contract.

Marner’s deal carries a cap hit of $10.903 million, which will account for roughly 12.4 percent of next season’s $88 million salary cap. The 6′ winger can also exercise the full no-movement clause in his contract as he sees fit, effectively preventing the Leafs from trading him without his say-so.

The Leafs originally selected Marner with the No. 4 overall pick in the 2015 NHL Draft. Through 576 career NHL games over parts of eight seasons with the Leafs, Marner has collected 194 goals and 639 points; he’s added 11 goals and 50 points in 57 playoff contests.