Mitch Marner is set to hit free agency for the first time in his career on July 1, and there figures to be plenty of teams vying for his signature when the market opens.
As for a return to the Toronto Maple Leafs, the latest intel from NHL insider Elliotte Friedman suggests it's an unlikely outcome at this point. During a recent episode of Friedman's "32 Thoughts" podcast, he said that Marner and his camp have not held any recent talks with the Maple Leafs as free agency looms just weeks away.
"I know the Maple Leafs have tried to talk to Marner. Marner's camp has not engaged with them. And I think everyone knows the way this is going to be heading, that on July 1 he's going to go out there, he's going to hit the market, he's going to sign a contract and he's not coming back to Toronto," said Friedman on Sunday.
Those comments come on the heels of a report from Andy Strickland of FanDuel Sports Network who reported on June 13 that he "can confirm Mitch Marner will not be returning to Toronto."
Naturally, as the top free agent set to hit the market on July 1, Marner has been linked to a handful of teams. The Vegas Golden Knights and Los Angeles Kings are among contending teams that have been reported to be interested in Marner.
Marner played his entire career with the Maple Leafs, who selected him with the No. 4 pick in the 2015 draft. He has played in 657 regular-season games for the organization and has 741 career points.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as NHL Insider Makes It Seem Like Mitch Marner Will Be Leaving Maple Leafs.