The future of Toronto Maple Leafs forward has become a hot topic as he approaches free agency.
Marner is entering the final season of his six-year, $65.41 million contract, and his return to the team remains uncertain. With free agency looming on July 1, he sat down for a one-on-one interview with The Athletic’s Jonas Siegel. After their conversation, Siegel expressed increased doubt about Marner’s intentions to remain in Toronto.
“I came out of the interview feeling less confident that he wants to stay,” Siegel said on OverDrive on April 4. “That’s just my interpretation—it’s impossible to know exactly what he’s thinking. The playoffs will obviously play a big role in his decision, but where I was once 50-50 on whether he stays or goes, I’m now leaning more toward him leaving. I gave him opportunities to clarify things, but he kept saying, ‘I’m here to play hockey.’”
Siegel noted that the Leafs’ decision to ask Marner to waive his no-trade clause at the deadline could factor into his thinking. He also mentioned that constantly being targeted by fans as a scapegoat has worn Marner down, and he may be ready to move on.
Despite the uncertainty, Marner continues to perform at an elite level, leading the team in points this season with 24 goals and 69 assists for 93 points in 74 games