Wake of Mitch Marner's potential exit would help define Treliving era with Maple Leafs

National Post

27-05-2025

Brad Treliving's potentially defining moment as Maple Leafs general manager awaits.
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If, as many expect, Mitch Marner decides to go to the open market in free agency and takes his talents to another National Hockey League team, what Treliving does in the aftermath will signify a rather large stamp on his tenure in Toronto.
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The general belief is that Treliving and the Leafs will save between $13 million and $14 million US per season if Marner signs elsewhere. Whatever Matthew Knies gets on his next contract, that won't factor into what cash Treliving will have in the event of a Marner departure.
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There will be further savings, too, even if John Tavares re-signs with the Leafs.
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There's no way the Leafs should sign Tavares to anywhere near the $11-million salary cap hit he represented for each of the past seven seasons. If they can get Tavares at half that cost and for no more than two years, perhaps that's OK. Anything beyond that, either in term or in dollars, would be risky for a player who will turn 35 in September and contributed just two goals in the Leafs final nine playoff games this spring.
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After several years of knocking on the 100-point door (including three seasons with 94 points or more), Marner finally got there in 2024-25, recording 102 points.
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Any potential concern for Marner about his contract status wasn't a factor as he set a personal-best with 75 assists, as well as his point total. Those 75 assists were third-most in the NHL, behind only Colorado's Nathan MacKinnon and Tampa Bay's Nikita Kucherov, who each had 84.
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From within, we know that Marner's production will not be replaced. How much work does Treliving have to do regarding the club's forward group? As of today, after captain Auston Matthews and William Nylander, the next Leafs forwards on the highest-paid list are Max Domi ($3.75 average annual value) and David Kampf ($2.4 AAV).
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Two years into his time with the Leafs, Domi hasn't been able to put down roots at centre or on the wing, drifting between the two positions. He has 17 goals and 63 assists in 154 games with Toronto.
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Kampf was a healthy scratch in the playoffs and could be a buyout candidate this off-season.
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Then you're looking at Calle Jarnkrok, Scott Laughton and Bobby McMann. and restricted free agents Nick Robertson and Pontus Holmberg. On some nights, McMann and Robertson can throw an offensive scare into the opponent — on some nights.