Talks ongoing between Golden Knights, Leafs regarding Marner
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Talks are ongoing between the Vegas Golden Knights and Toronto Maple Leafs regarding a sign-and-trade for star forward Mitch Marner, reports TSN Hockey Insider Darren Dreger.
Dreger reported later on Saturday that there has yet to be a trade call, nothing signed and that the situation would likely not be resolved on Saturday.
Furthermore, Dreger says there is more work ahead in terms of what the return might be for Toronto.
Marner is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1 and Leafs general manager Brad Treliving has hinted the team could be preparing for life without Marner next season.
Postmedia's Bruce Garrioch reports there is talk the Leafs have asked for forward Nicolas Roy and defenceman Nicolas Hague in return for Marner's rights.
Treliving told reporters after the NHL Draft on Saturday that the team would prefer to get something rather than nothing for Marner, if possible.
"You’d always like to get something, right," Treliving said. "That’s not always the case. That’s probably as far as I want to get into it."
Treliving said Thursday in a pre-NHL draft media availability that the Maple Leafs have communicated with Marner, but added there hasn't been "a whole lot of change."
"Unless there’s a significant change here, I would anticipate that he’s gonna hit the market," Treliving told reporters. "And we’ll see where things go."
The Maple Leafs can still sign Marner after free agency opens, but lose the right to offer him an eight-year contract. NHL teams can sign players to a maximum of seven years on the open market.
Marner, 28, recorded 27 goals and 102 points in 81 games with the Leafs last season. He added two goals and 13 points in 13 playoff games before his team was eliminated by the Florida Panthers in the second round.
The 6-foot winger is set to come off a six-year, $65.41 million contract that carried an annual cap hit of $10.9 million.
Drafted fourth overall by Toronto in 2015, Marner is fifth all-time in Maple Leafs scoring with 221 goals and 741 points in 657 career games.
He helped the team to nine consecutive playoff appearances and two division titles. However, the team only reached the second round twice and lost seven deciding games during his tenure.
The Thornhill, Ont., native represented Canada at the 4 Nations Face-Off en route to a first-place finish. He also represented his country at the 2017 World Championship in a silver-medal performance.