Toronto Maple Leafs forward Mitch Marner has no plans of waiving his no-movement clause.
Marner has one year left on his six-year $65,408,000 deal that also gives him full no-movement protection, meaning he has to agree to any trade. Although Marner has been the subject of trade rumors, The Athletic’s NHL insider Pierre LeBrun reports that the winger hasn’t given a list of teams he’s willing to be traded and has no plans of doing so.
“At this point, the Marner camp led by veteran agent Darren Ferris is not working on a list of teams. They have no intention as of now of producing such a list. As far as the Marner camp is concerned, the star winger has one more year on his contract with the Leafs and intends to honor it,” LeBrun wrote in his article.
“So as far as I can tell right this minute, this is all about what the Leafs come to Marner with this summer (if anything) — not the other way around. Marner holds most of the cards with his 100 percent no-move clause, which went into effect last July 1,” LeBrun continued.
As LeBrun writes, Marner holds the cards with his future if he doesn’t want to be traded he won’t be, despite all the reports he will be dealt.
Insider Claims There’s a 5% Chance Marner Is Back
Although LeBrun says Marner and his camp have no intention of waiving his no-movement clause, fellow NHL insider Frank Seravalli believes the winger will be traded.
“I think there’s a five percent chance or maybe even less that he’ll be a Leaf next season,” Sersvalli said on DFO Rundown on May 19… “It makes zero sense to even enter the season where you are either signing Mitch Marner to an extension or you trade him. To start this year in the final year of his deal makes zero sense. I think there’s a single-digit percent chance that Mitch Marner is in a Maple Leafs’ uniform starting in October.”
Marner has been with the Maple Leafs since being fourth overall by Toronto in the 2015 NHL draft. He made his NHL debut during the 2016-17 NHL season and has been a star player for Toronto ever since then.
This past season, Marner recorded 26 goals and 59 assists for 85 points in 59 games. But, due to another early playoff exit, the winger has been the subject of trade rumors.
Marner Linked to Potential Predators Trade
Although Marner has no intention of waiving his no-movement clause, according to LeBrun, the skilled winger has been linked to a potential deal with the Nashville Predators.
NHL insider David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period had a recent article where he mocked a trade that would send Marner to Nashville for goalie Juuse Saros.
“One team I am curious about is the Nashville Predators. A star player like Marner would fit in nicely at Bridgestone Arena… Goaltender Juuse Saros, like Marner, will soon be on an expiring contract. With Yaroslav Askarov waiting in the wings, moving Saros for extra firepower up front could be what the doctor ordered,” Pagnotta wrote.
Toronto will need a new goalie this summer, as Ilya Samsonov is a pending free agent, but for now, Marner remains a Maple Leaf.
