Maple leaf send’s a heartbreaking news about three key player…
I’ll examine the futures of three players on the team’s roster in this edition of Toronto Maple Leafs News & Rumors. I’ll start by looking at Mitch Marner’s contentious and ongoing journey, which has its roots in his time spent with the Maple Leafs. Despite being one of their strongest core players, his future appears uncertain.
Since Timothy Liljegren is still new to the team, I will secondly evaluate his potential. Finally, I’ll examine T.J. Brodie’s circumstances, as it appears that his tenure with the Maple Leafs may be coming to an end. Every player must make organizational decisions, and the Maple Leafs will soon have to make some very important decisions. How will they proceed with each of these?
First item: The Maple Leafs’ New Way of Thinking: Holding Mitch Marner
Darren Dreger of TSN provided an update on the Mitch Marner saga during the Monday First Up program featuring Aaron Korolnek and Carlo Colaiacovo on TSN 1050 in Toronto. While general manager Brad Treliving might approach the Marner camp with a trade at some point this offseason, the seasoned TSN insider suggested that Dreger seemed to think management would prefer to sign the 27-year-old forward to a contract extension.
As Dreger put it, based on the people he talks to, Marner would prefer to play out the final year of his contract with the Maple Leafs. Dreger added that it doesn’t mean he will walk out the door after next season. But, of course, there’s that risk because he’d be an unrestricted free agent. As Dreger puts it, this situation is uncomfortable for the team. Yet, that’s the situation the Maple Leafs and Marner negotiated (including the no-move clause), and it’s working itself out that way.
Marner is coming off another standout regular season, scoring 26 goals and putting up 85 points in 69 games. However, his limited production in the playoffs — just one goal and three points in seven games during the team’s Round 1 playoff loss to the Boston Bruins — fueled speculation the Maple Leafs might choose to move him ahead of the final year of his contract.
The $10.903 million cap hit on Marner’s contract represents about 12.4% of the $88 million salary cap for the upcoming season. Because Marner has a complete no-movement clause, the team is essentially prohibited from trading him without his consent. Dreger noted that Treliving seems to favor extending Marner despite this, underscoring a change in the Maple Leafs’ perspective. The organization seems to be leaning toward keeping the gifted Marner, warts and all, rather than implementing significant changes.
Item 2: The Future of Liljegren’s Maple Leafs Is Uncertain
Regarding a new contract for defenseman Timothy Liljegren, a pending restricted free agent, the Maple Leafs are at a standstill right now. The Maple Leafs and Liljegren’s team don’t appear to be having many conversations about contracts, which suggests arbitration may be on the horizon. There is conjecture that the Maple Leafs are holding off to observe the outcome of free agency. They will choose where Liljegren fits into their lineup after determining which players they can add.
The 25-year-old Liljegren had a decent 2023-24 regular season, posting three goals and 23 points while averaging 19:39 of ice time playing in 55 games. With several other defensemen looking like they won’t be back with the team (Mark Giordano and Brodie are two), Liljegren is heading toward becoming an unrestricted free agent. His future is uncertain; Toronto could opt for arbitration, resulting in a short-term deal and giving the organization another year to decide on his future. Alternatively, the team could offer him a longer-term deal (around $3 million average annual value) to help stabilize their blue line.
Item 3: Don’t Show T.J. Brodie the Door Quite Yet
Speaking of Brodie’s future, there’s been significant speculation about it. Few expect him back with the team. While it seems possible the Maple Leafs and the 34-year-old defenseman might part ways, there’s a chance he could stay if he signed a team-friendly contract.
Brodie’s extensive experience, leadership, and defensive skills make him a valuable asset. His intelligence and ability to read the ice effectively provide the team stability on the blue line, a crucial element for a team that has often struggled to maintain a strong defense. He’s likely a better choice than many depth defensemen the team could go out and sign.
Moreover, Brodie’s versatility and reliability allow him to adapt to various roles within the lineup, making him a consistent and dependable presence. Like other players before him (Jason Spezza and Giordano), Brodie could accept a team-friendly contract, which would benefit the team financially while retaining his valuable services. His mentorship could also be instrumental in developing the younger defensemen in the Maple Leafs’ system, ensuring a solid defensive foundation for the future.
