Insider Provides Update on Maple Leafs & Marner’s Contract Talks

According to NHL insider Darren Dreger, the Toronto Maple Leafs and star forward Mitch Marner are focused on winning, not negotiating. As such, news about his pending contract negotiations has brought crickets, which is both good and underwhelming news for Leafs fans.

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That’s right—both sides are prioritizing the team’s success during what has been an excellent season. That’s great news for Leafs Nation regarding the team’s on-ice performance. The downside is that there are no developments on a new extension. While there’s hope that an extension will eventually be reached, it won’t be happening in the immediate future.

Dreger Provides an Update on Marner and Maple Leafs Talks

Dreger appeared on the latest episode of Insider Trading on TSN and shared this update on the contract talks:

“There’s regular communication between management of the Toronto Maple Leafs and the agent, in this case, Darren Ferris. But I think you do have to give credit to the brass of the Maple Leafs. I’m looking at [Brendan] Shanahan, [Brad] Treliving, and head coach Craig Berube because they’ve managed to keep the distraction outside so that Marner can focus on his game, which has been lights-out good this year, and by extension, just the overall play of the Toronto Maple Leafs. But as the calendar turns into 2025, time will be of the essence, so there’s going to have to be some definition and direction. Right now, regular communication and open dialogue continue.”

Although many in Leafs Nation would welcome an extension during the season, most can appreciate that both sides agree this season is too important to allow contract talks to become a distraction.

Insider Trading host James Duthie noted the silence around Marner’s extension talks, saying it’s been “crickets.” He asked Dreger if this was by design, to which Dreger replied, “Well, yes, that’s by design.”

Marner and the Maple Leafs Don’t Want People Talking About His Contract

This approach is a positive sign for the Maple Leafs. Marner will undoubtedly get paid, and critics will inevitably have opinions about the contract. However, for the first time in his career, no one can argue he isn’t putting team success ahead of personal own success.

The media silence on the topic also relieves pressure on Marner, allowing him to focus on his stellar play this season. And, without a deal to announce, there are no armchair GMs to praise the deal or tear it apart while the forward is trying to focus on his season.

Things appear to be trending in the right direction for Leafs Nation—let’s hope it stays that way!

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