May 7, 2024 | 12:35pm ET
TheFourthPeriod.com

WILL TORONTO CONSIDER TRADING MARNER?

Mitch Marner, forward

Mitch Marner did not earn any extra brownie points with the Maple Leafs fanbase following clean out day in Toronto.

While he expressed his desire to stay in Toronto long-term and voiced how much it means to him to be a Leaf – “it means the world,” he said – his subsequent comments stole headlines locally.

“Obviously, we’re looked upon as kind of Gods here, to be honest – something that you really appreciate it,” he said. “The love that you get here from this fanbase and this attention is kind of unlike any other. You saw with the (NBA’s Raptors) a couple of years ago (after winning the NBA Championship), the love that they still have for a lot of those players that they had to trade off this year, that’s kind of the love you want.”

Fan hostility ate up the local radio airwaves and social media over the first part of Marner’s comment. But public relations aside, the Maple Leafs are expected to make several changes this off-season. The first major move could come behind the bench, as speculation over head coach Sheldon Keefe’s future with the club has continued to arise.

As TFP’s David Pagnotta reported last month and again this week on SiriusXM NHL Network Radio, if Leafs GM Brad Treliving decides to change his coach, former St. Louis Blues bench boss Craig Berube is expected to be one of the frontrunners for the position.

On the ice, however, is where change is also needed and Treliving will explore his options this summer.

Marner, who has one more year left on his contract, indicated that discussions on an extension are expected to begin in the coming weeks. The Maple Leafs must decide whether they want to continue with him on the team long-term or if moving him to address other areas of the roster is the better course of action.

Treliving will meet the media Friday morning alongside MLSE President & CEO Keith Pelley and Maple Leafs President & Alternate Governor Brendan Shanahan, and he will surely address some of the topics and questions surrounding the organization at that point.

During the season, the Leafs were believed to have expressed interest such players as Nashville Predators goaltender Juuse Saros, St. Louis Blues defenceman Colton Parayko, and San Jose Sharks blueliner Mario Ferraro, among others, and Treliving could reopen discussions with those teams this off-season.

Marner, who owns a full no-movement clause as part of his contract, was on pace for 101 points this season. Since hitting 94 points in 2018-19, Marner has reached, or been on a full-season pace for, over 90 points in each of the last six seasons.

Moving Marner would come in the form of a blockbuster trade that would shake up the roster. With Toronto in contention every season with the rest of its stars leading the charge, like Auston Matthews and William Nylander, any trade involving Marner would result in a star talent coming Toronto’s way.

Treliving could provide some context on the subject later this week as the Leaf faithful grow even more frustrated with next to no playoff success.