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Maple Leafs, Marner, & Tavares All Pivot Ahead of Trade Deadline
While the early hope was that extensions would be done by now, all of Mitch Marner, John Tavares and the Maple Leafs are open to waiting.
With just 10 days until the trade deadline, the Toronto Maple Leafs are a key focus in ongoing NHL discussions. While their deadline approach is a major storyline, they also have two significant pending unrestricted free agents to consider—John Tavares and Mitch Marner. The hope was that all sides could work out extensions before the deadline. It now sounds like everyone has pivoted on their respective stances.
According to NHL insider Chris Johnston, it’s unlikely that a contract extension or a major move involving one of them will happen before the March 7 deadline. He noted during a spot on TSN First Up that he doesn’t see trades or extensions coming for either player in the next two weeks. However, that doesn’t necessarily mean either player is leaving Toronto.
As free agency nears, players often have less incentive to sign early, and both sides may hesitate to commit long-term, given their current situation. With the news of a rising salary cap, no one should be surprised there is a new sense of curiosity about what contracts will look like moving forward.
For Tavares, he seems more likely to extend given his desire to stay put. Meanwhile, Marner is reportedly open to testing the free agency market. Both players want and should get a sense of what the market will offer.
Who Is Actually Better Off Waiting: Marner and Tavares or the Maple Leafs?
Given how far along everyone is in the season now, it makes sense to wait. On the surface, the benefits seem to favor the players. However, there’s a win for the team, too.
If the Leafs extend both players and suffer another early playoff exit, it could feel like more of the same. Having the flexibility to pivot in another direction might actually be an advantage. This isn’t to place blame solely on Marner or Tavares for past playoff shortcomings—every part of the team shares responsibility—but given where things stand, it wouldn’t be surprising if neither player signs right away.
That said, Johnston held onto the right to change his reporting and said that things could change in the next 10 days.
Next: Marchand All-In as Bruins Eye Long-Term Trade vs Deadline Deal
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