The Toronto Maple Leafs have an intriguing offseason ahead, and one analyst calls for them to run it back one more time.
Toronto was eliminated in the second round of the Stanley Cup playoffs by the Florida Panthers. After the playoff exit, many expected the Maple Leafs to make some major changes, including letting Mitch Marner leave in free agency.
However, NHL analyst Paul Bissonnette believes Toronto should run it back and re-sign Marner to a discount.
“Offer Marner 8x12m and let’s run it back. He owes Leafs Nation a ‘discount’. Knies 8×8.5m max if he wants an offer sheet tell him to (expletive) off. John Tavares 3x3m,” Bissonnette wrote on X.
The offseason would be Bissonnette’s ideal, as he would bring back all three key players. Marner signing for only $12 million would be a bit of a discount, but over eight years, the analyst feels like it would be enough to get it done.
Knies, meanwhile, is projected to get around $8 million on a long-term deal, but the surprise would be Tavares’ contract. Tavares could earn upwards of $8 million per season, but Bissonnette believes Tavares should give the Maple Leafs a hometown discount for the final three years of his career.
Bissonnette didn’t stop there as he doubled down on his call for the Maple Leafs to bring back Marner.
“I’m a ride or die guy but if you think it’s time to move on just shoot me straight. I think I can get Mitch to come back,” Bissonnette wrote on X. “Maybe even at 11m. Let’s run this (expletive) back. Took Ovi 13 years to figure it out. We got this. Core 4 ain’t done yet.”
Marner recorded 27 goals and 75 assists for 102 points in 81 games.
Maple Leafs Coach Loves Marner
Marner will be the biggest free agent available this summer, but Bissonnette thinks Toronto needs to bring him back.
Marner completed his six-year, $65.41 million deal with the Maple Leafs. Ahead of his pending free agency, at the year-end press conference, Maple Leafs coach Craig Berube said he’d love to have Marner back as he enjoyed coaching him.
“Great. I love the guy and I love coaching him, love his energy, personality,” Berube said about Marner. “He’s a hell of a player. You know, he does a lot for this team night in night out in a lot of different areas of the game. So, I’ve got nothing but good things to say about him.”
If the Maple Leafs do bring back Marner, the hope is the core can finally get over the hump.
Marner Uncertain on Future
Marner is the top free agent available come July 1, but he’s unsure what the future holds for him.
At the Maple Leafs’ locker cleanout day, Marner said he still hadn’t made any decision on whether he wants to be back or if he will hit the market.
“I’ve always loved my time here. I’ve loved being here,” Marner said. “Like I said to you guys the other night, I have been so grateful and, you know, haven’t processed anything yet. It’s still so fresh and losing sucks… In the next couple of weeks, I’ll sit down with my wife and we’ll start talking. Trying to figure out what’s next.”
Marner recorded 2 goals and 11 assists for 13 points in 13 games.
Like Heavy Sports’s content? Be sure to follow us.
This article was originally published on Heavy Sports
The post Analyst: Maple Leafs Should Sign Marner to ‘Discount’ as Part of Ideal Offseason appeared first on Heavy Sports.