Insider Reveals Timeline for Maple Leafs’ Mitch Marner Extension

Despite no proof of playoff success, the Toronto Maple Leafs might sign superstar forward Mitch Marner to a contract extension.

Dec 2, 2024; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Maple Leafs forward Mitch Marner (16) skates in on a breakaway against the Chicago Blackhawks during the third period at Scotiabank Arena. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images / John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images

Superstar forward Mitch Marner was at the center of the NHL’s attention all offseason after the Toronto Maple Leafs were once again an early exit from the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Despite having one of the top teams in the NHL, the Maple Leafs have only made it past the first round once in the last eight seasons.

It’s that futility that forced a lot of trade speculation around the Maple Leafs and Marner. None of those talks phased Marner, however, as he is one of the top players in the league right now with 36 points (9G-27A) in 25 games played.

Marner isn’t leading the league in scoring, but he is leading the Maple Leafs and this surge of production has turned trade rumors into contract extension talks. New speculation has surfaced that Marner might sign an extension with the Maple Leafs before they get another crack at the playoffs.

NHL insider Pierre LeBrun said on TSN’s OverDrive that he expects Marner to sign a new deal before the puck drops on the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs.

“I think they get this done,” LeBrun said. “I don’t know when. I just think Mitch Marner sees himself as a Leaf. And I think they do eventually get this done.”

Following their most recent opening-round loss to the Boston Bruins, the Maple Leafs said “everything must be on the table” to improve their situation. Big changes were expected and moves were likely coming for the Maple Leafs.

Maple Leafs Sports and Entertainment president Keith Pelley said that the organization can’t be complacent and the goal is to win the Stanley Cup.

“There’s no complacency. We’re not here to sell jerseys. We’re here to win.”

The only big change that happened in Toronto over the offseason was a change in captaincy. The Maple Leafs stripped John Tavares of his “C” and gave it to Auston Matthews. Essentially creating two new jerseys for fans to buy.

Lineup changes were minimal for the Maple Leafs, which isn’t the wrong move. They are 16-7-2 and sitting atop the Atlantic Division. That doesn’t mean they’ll perform in the playoffs.

The Maple Leafs are always a top-notch regular season team, but fails to show up in the biggest games of the year. The same can be said about Marner himself.

Marner has 675 points (203G-472A) in 601 regular season games, including back-to-back year sniffing 100 points, but becomes a ghost in the playoffs.

Despite that, the Maple Leafs might hand Marner another long contract that will likely earn him more than the nearly $11 million he’s already making.

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