The biggest uncertainty surrounding the Toronto Maple Leafs this offseason is the future of star winger Mitch Marner, who is on an expiring contract and will become an unrestricted free agent on July 1.
Marner spoke with reporters on Tuesday, a few days after the conclusion of the Maple Leafs' season, brought on by a defeat in the second round of the playoffs against the Florida Panthers. Naturally, he was asked about his future within the organization, and he insisted he'd not yet discussed his next steps with his family, via Chris Johnston of The Athletic.
"I've always loved my time here. Loved being here," Marner said, noticeably speaking in the past tense.
Marner has been in Toronto for his entire career, having been drafted by the organization with the No. 4 pick in the first round in 2015. He's been through many highs and lows with the team, having been their leading assister in each of his seasons with the organization, but winning only two total playoff series.
Marner is expected to be paid around $13 million per season on his next contract, and it remains to be seen whether or not that deal will be signed with the Maple Leafs. There figures to be plenty of teams interested in the 28-year-old playmaker this offseason, so it's certainly not out of the question that he'll be wearing a new uniform for the 2025-26 season.
In 2024-25, Marner had a team-high 102 points with 27 goals and 75 assists. He added 13 points in 13 games throughout the playoffs.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Mitch Marner Discusses Potential Departure From Maple Leafs After Playoff Exit.