The Toronto Maple Leafs will have an interesting offseason ahead, as Mitch Marner and John Tavares are both pending free agents.
Marner will be the top free agent available, and Puckpedia’s website allows users to propose trades and signings. One user predicted the Maple Leafs will let Mitch Marner walk and sign Nikolaj Ehlers to a six-year deal worth $48 million.
Ehlers is in the final year of his seven-year $42 million deal with the Winnipeg Jets. He’s learning $6 million per season and is predicted to get $8 million over six years with Toronto.
The star forward could help replace the void of Marner and would be a much cheaper option. This season with the Jets, Ehlers has recorded 21 goals and 36 assists for 57 points in 58 games. The former ninth overall pick has a career-high of 29 goals and 64 points.
Marner, meanwhile, is in the final year of his six-year $65.41 million deal with the Maple Leafs this season. He’s skated in 65 games recording 21 goals and 59 assists for 80 points.
Ehlers One of the Best Free Agents Available
Entering the NHL off-season, Sportsnet has Ehlers as the second-best free agent, only behind Marner.
Ehlers has been the subject of trade rumors and this past summer, it was reported he was open to a change of scenery.
According to NHL insider David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period, the Jets also haven’t had contract extension talks with Ehlers.
“Negotiations haven’t begun yet for any of their pending free agents, restricted like Gabe Vilardi or unrestricted like Neal Pionk or Nikolaj Ehlers,” Pagnotta said. “And I think that’s because the mission at hand – go for a Stanley Cup. This is eye on the prize. ‘We’ll worry about the contract stuff later.’
“They’ve had loose discussions. There’s an understanding as to where kind of everybody sits, but I think the notion is, ‘let’s focus on competing for a championship,” Pagnotta added. “We’ll worry about that stuff after the fact.’”
Pagnotta, however, does expect Ehlers to hit free agency on July 1 and potentially leave the Jets.
“There’s been a lot of speculation, I reported about this in the summer, that Nik Ehlers is likely going to explore free agency as a UFA this coming July. I don’t believe that’s changed,” Pagnotta added.
Ehlers is currently fourth on the Jets in scoring.
Maple Leafs GM Hopeful to Keep Marner
Marner will be the top free agent available if he gets there on July 1. However, Maple Leafs general manager Brad Treliving is hopeful to keep Marner in Toronto.
“We’re aligned with Mitch. We’re worried about this season, we’re worried about the games we have coming up. We want Mitch here for a long time,” Treliving said. “It’s not a distraction, but like I said we think the world of him. But, it’s just not a question we’re going to get into every day.”
Of course, Marner’s name came up in trade talks at the deadline, but he opted to not waive his no-trade clause to remain in Toronto.
“I’m not going to get into this contract stuff. I’ve been very grateful and I’ve loved my time being a Leaf. That’s (how) I’ll leave it with you guys,” Marner said about his future.
The Maple Leafs are currently 39-24-3 and in third place in the Atlantic Division.
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