PUCKREPORTER | NHL TEAM | TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS

Chris Johnston and Elliotte Friedman drop a major update on Mitch Marner

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Samer Dagher
June 15, 2024 (5:09 PM)

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Toronto Maple Leafs forward Mitch Marner

Photo credit: Sportsnet

Insiders Chris Johnston and Elliotte Friedman weigh in on the Mitch Marner situation for the Toronto Maple Leafs as a decision looms days ahead of free agency.

Toronto Maple Leafs star forward Mitch Marner has been the center of a lot of negativity since the team's first-round playoff exit against the Boston Bruins. Unfortunately, the situation seems unlikely to improve anytime soon.

While many believe Marner and the Maple Leafs are headed for a split this summer, reports suggest the situation is far less certain behind the scenes. Two NHL insiders recently revealed that not only has there been no progress regarding Marner, but tensions are at an all-time high.

NHL insider Chris Johnston explained how little has happened since the Leafs were eliminated.

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"Here's what I know to be true about the situation," said Johnston. "The Leafs are not leaning on Mitch Marner right now, they have not decided 100% they have to trade him and they are gonna make life uncomfortable and they are getting the list of names, none of that is going on."

Johnston also believes the Maple Leafs won't aggressively push Marner into accepting a trade this summer.

"The fact that remains true with Mitch Marner is that he controls the hammer here," said Johnston. "So if there is a trade the Leafs need to work with him. They need to, as quietly as possible, try to line up the teams or a team where they could live with the return and then they have to go to Mitch Marner and his agent Darren Ferris and see if there is a deal to be made."

This approach won't sit well with fans who are demanding a breakup of the team's core after several playoff failures. The public discussion around Marner only adds to the difficulty.

"There's some frustration about all the public discourse about it," admitted Johnston. "That's the nature of the beast when you're that player and the possibilities are on the table that we are talking about."

Fellow NHL insider Elliotte Friedman confirmed the high level of frustration on his recent 32 Thoughts podcast.

"You can not say anything about this topic without somebody going berserk," revealed Friedman on the 32 Thoughts podcast. "This is why this is the hardest topic to discuss in the NHL. This is why it is so complicated, the future of this and the outcome of this is so complicated, because you can't say a thing without somebody getting mad."

This situation doesn't bode well for resolving perhaps the biggest problem facing the Maple Leafs this summer.

Source: hockeyfeed'Frustration' boiling over with Mitch Marner trade.

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POLL
15 JUIN \| 491 ANSWERS Chris Johnston and Elliotte Friedman drop a major update on Mitch Marner Do you think the Toronto Maple Leafs will trade Mitch Marner before July 1st?
Yes	171	34.8 %
They will trade him this summer	147	29.9 %
He will walk	53	10.8 %
He will get extended	120	24.4 %
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