The weird part about Mitch Marner’s entire free agency saga so far, before free agency has even opened, is that there’s been so little speculation about what it would take for the Toronto Maple Leafs to keep him.
Clearly, reporters have been given the idea that there’s simply no chance of Marner staying. He also used a heck of a lot of past tense when the season ended, suggesting he knew Toronto wasn’t a part of his future.
Still, it’s pretty wild. He’s one of the best two-way forwards in the league. The Maple Leafs surely wouldn’t mind having him, if it was possible.
So then the question becomes, what gives?
There’s no clear-cut answer, but there are some clues.
One big one came from Marner’s exit interview with Toronto reporters on May 21, with the quote below via Sportsnet.
He was asked about what his family has to deal with in Toronto with Marner being so well known and scrutinized.
“It’s tough on them,” Marner said. “What my wife (Stephanie) and I have done such a good job at over the last couple years is just not focusing on that. You can’t focus on that. There’s so much love and appreciation for yourself and from the fans out there. And just because you don’t hear it, you know it’s still out there.
“Sometimes the noise you hear is not the one that you want. But that’s how it goes. And I’m sure my family’s taking it hard, especially being in the crowd for a couple (lost home playoff games). But that’s how this game of hockey goes, and the passion the city brings is something that you appreciate and love about it.”
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Marner goes back and forth a bit there, but it’s clear that when things don’t go well on the ice, it’s tough on his family.
Would that totally go away elsewhere? Not necessarily, especially considering the money Marner will sign for.
But by the same token, the Maple Leafs in Toronto are always going to be a bigger story than the Ducks in Anaheim or the Golden Knights in Las Vegas.
It’s a bit like playing for the New York Yankees and then leaving to go play for the San Diego Padres. There’s still attention, but not in the same way at all.
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In that same press conference, Marner gave one of his past tense quotes.
“I always loved my time here. I’ve loved being here,” Marner said. “It’s been amazing. It’s been ups and downs, obviously. I mean, you feel the love and the passion of the city, and you’re forever grateful for that. And it’s one of the best cities to live in in the world. And I’ve been forever grateful to not just grow up here but wear this Maple Leaf and be a part of the history and this team.”
It certainly doesn’t sound like, by the end of the season, Marner had any thought to coming back.
He wanted a fresh start for himself and his family.
And if that’s what he feels is best for the whole family, who can really blame him for seeking the best destination?
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