Following another early playoff exit, four important Toronto Maple Leafs figures are nearing free agency. Among them, star forwards Mitch Marner and John Tavares could become unrestricted free agents on July 1st. Power forward Matthew Knies is due for restricted free agency, and the contract of team president Brendan Shanahan is also expiring.
In the direct aftermath of Sunday`s lopsided 6-1 Game 7 loss to the Florida Panthers – marking the core group`s eighth consecutive defeat in a winner-take-all game – attention heavily focused on Marner, the local player whose contract situation has been discussed all year.
A recent sports report indicated there will be `lots of interest` in Marner should he reach the open market. The same report suggested that negotiating his return to the Maple Leafs might prove difficult. According to the report, in the wake of the emotional Game 7 defeat, it appears challenging for the Maple Leafs and Mitch Marner to reach a contract agreement unless a significant shift occurs in either side`s negotiating stance.
Tristan Blackwood