As the NHL off-season approaches, all eyes are on Mitch Marner and the uncertainty surrounding his future with the Toronto Maple Leafs. After another disappointing playoff exit, speculation is swirling about whether the star forward will seek a fresh start elsewhere. Marner, long considered one of the league’s elite playmakers, is poised to become the most coveted free agent this summer, and the stakes have never been higher.

With his impressive regular-season numbers and undeniable talent, he’s expected to command a massive contract—one that only a few teams will be able to afford. The buzz around his potential departure has already sent shockwaves through the hockey world, as fans and executives alike wonder if this is the end of an era in Toronto.

As insiders like Pierre LeBrun weigh in on the astronomical price tag required to sign Marner, the anticipation and drama surrounding his next move continue to build, promising a free agency frenzy that could reshape the NHL landscape for years to come.

Mitch Marner of the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Photo credit: New York Post

Mitch Marner is set to be the biggest name in NHL free agency this off-season, and now Pierre LeBrun has put a price on acquiring the Toronto Maple Leafs star.

The Toronto Maple Leafs season ended in disappointment once more, and with all of the criticism that this team has faced, it’s becoming more and more likely that star forward Mitch Marner departs the team in free agency.

While Toronto have the money to pay their hometown star, there’s a good chance that he wants to leave the team for a fresh start elsewhere, but for other teams looking to acquire him, it’s certainly not going to be cheap.

According to TSN’s Pierre LeBrun, that will involve a team paying him more than $13 million a year, because even after a disappointing post-season run, he still had a career high of 102 points this season, with that campaign following point totals of 97, 99 and 85 (in 69 games) over the past three years.

That’s a higher number than Mikko Rantanen was given by the Dallas Stars at the trade deadline this year, and while it may be a lot, Marner is one of the best forwards in the NHL, and will continue to play at that level for some years to come.

Sure, there will be some trepidation by teams looking to acquire him in paying him that much after seeing how he’s performed in the post-season, but getting him away from the spotlight in Toronto, there’s a good chance that he can step up and play to his potential.

Head Coach Craig Berube had nothing but praise for Marner after the Maple Leafs season came to an end, and while Toronto will likely look to retain him in free agency, for that money there’s a chance they’ll let him go, so expect many teams to be lined up to pay him $13 million or more for the next 6-7 years.