Toronto Maple Leafs: The impact of delaying Marner’s contract negotiations

Mitch Marner’s agent has said contract talks will be put on hold once the regular season begins, but what does this mean for the Toronto Maple Leafs?

When you think of the most important members of the Toronto Maple Leafs‘ roster, Mitch Marner is unlikely to be the first names you mention. However, this does not minimize what he means to the team.

While Marner played 20 more regular season games than Auston Matthews, you still can’t take away the fact he led the Leafs with 69 points, including tying for the team lead with 47 assists. And this form continued into the postseason, as he proved he could perform on the big stage by once again leading the team, with nine points in seven playoff games.

Aside from his actual points production, the 2015 fourth overall draft pick is a sublime passer and a good skater. He is excellent on the power play and this season is expected to also kill penalties.

Critics will likely point towards Marner’s lack of size and strength, along with his plus/minus rating. However, he can still work on filling out his frame and the latter will likely be rectified by playing alongside John Tavares.

Most signs point towards the 21-year-old only continuing to improve, as he prepares to embark on his third season in the NHL. As such, recent comments in respect to his contract situation were bound to be met with interest.

Marner has one year remaining on his entry-level contract before he becomes a restricted free agent. And the Leafs have showed their intent to commit to the youngster, by already engaging in negotiations with his agent, Darren Ferris.

The talks have been positive, but Ferris admitted that if a new deal is not agreed by Wednesday, he and his client will take a step back. Appearing on TSN 1050’s Leafs Lunch last Friday, he said:

"“We’ve had some very productive discussions so far and if nothing’s done by the start of the season, then we’ll wait until next summer and we’ll get back at it again.”"

Assuming a new deal isn’t announced sometime between now and puck drop on Wednesday night against the Montreal Canadiens, what does this mean for Marner? In reality, this puts more emphasis on the Leafs than the player.

The Leafs are under pressure to resolve the William Nylander situation, while looking ahead to re-signing Matthews and Jake Gardiner. Fans are also well aware of the team’s salary cap situation.

If the Buds have to suspend negotiations with Marner until next summer, this only further complicates matters. After all, he is projected to be even more production playing with Tavares, meaning he his value will only increase.

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Again, it should be stressed matter are amicable between Marner and the team. However, this is also theoretically the case with Nylander, but that still hasn’t helped resolve matters.

As we’ve discussed previously, professional athletes have to perform a delicate balancing act between getting what they think they’re worth and playing for a successful team. In the case of the Leafs, this likely means a long-term contender, capable of consistently challenging for the Stanley Cup.

In that respect, the coming season could go some way towards determining the contract challenges facing the Leafs. If the team performs well — more specifically if and when they qualify for the playoffs — this could convince Marner and others to collectively lower their demands, for the sake of the team’s overall future prospects.

It’s going to be an extremely interesting season for the Leafs and their fans. And it could prove to be equally as intriguing, come the next offseason.

What’s your take on the Toronto Maple Leafs’ salary cap situation? How do you see the contract negotiations playing out, whether it be in respect of Marner specifically, or the group of players who will be discussing extensions with the team? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.