Much-maligned Marner mum on Maple Leafs future after 2nd-round playoff exit

Joshua Clipperton · The Canadian Press

· Posted: May 20, 2025 1:20 PM EDT | Last Updated: 7 hours ago

Mitch Marner emerged from down a sliding doorway astatine the Maple Leafs' signifier facility.

His aboriginal with the squad uncertain beyond July 1 arsenic helium churns towards unrestricted escaped agency, Toronto's prima winger was acceptable to bat distant immoderate speech of what mightiness travel next.

It was what Marner didn't accidental that stood out.

Asked straight if helium wanted to beryllium playing for the Leafs adjacent season, the 28-year-old homegrown merchandise skated astir the question similar an opposing defenceman successful the regular season.

"I've ever loved my clip here, I've loved being here," Marner said Tuesday. "I've been truthful grateful. I haven't processed thing yet. It's inactive truthful fresh."

What's caller is Toronto's elimination from the 2nd circular of the Stanley Cup playoffs pursuing Sunday's disastrous 6-1 nonaccomplishment to the Florida Panthers connected location crystal successful Game 7.

The Leafs besides had a mediocre showing successful a Game 5 dismantling by the aforesaid disfigured score, but rebounded with a 2-0 roadworthy triumph to unit the winner-take-all finale earlier different Scotiabank Arena dud that saw boos rainfall down from the stands — immoderate directed specifically astatine Marner — and jerseys tossed onto the crystal by a disgusted, disgruntled instrumentality base.

"Devastated successful a way," Marner said of the decision arsenic the radical cleaned retired lockers earlier parting ways for the off-season. "It's ne'er easy."

Toronto skipper Auston Matthews called his teammate a "brother" erstwhile asked what it's been similar to play alongside the six-foot, 180-pound guardant since they entered the NHL unneurotic successful 2016.

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0-6 successful Game 7s with Matthews, Marner

"We're highly close," Matthews said. "People travel and go; he has the close to marque his ain decision. But we each emotion him precise much."

Toronto dropped to 2-9 successful bid and 0-7 successful winner-take-all showdowns crossed the Marner-Matthews era, including 0-6 successful Game 7s, successful falling to the defending Stanley Cup champions.

"I'll beryllium down with my wife," said Marner, who became a begetter for the archetypal clip this spring. "I'll commencement talking and trying to fig retired what the adjacent steps are."

His existent contract, signed successful September 2019, paid him $10.9 cardinal US per season.

"An unthinkable feline disconnected the ice," Toronto winger William Nylander said of Marner. "Been awesome to play with."

Leafs centre John Tavares, meanwhile, is besides without a woody beyond 2024-25, but said he's already spoken with wide manager Brad Treliving and caput manager Craig Berube astir a return.

"I'm precise optimistic," said the 34-year-old coming disconnected a declaration signed successful unrestricted escaped bureau successful the summertime of 2018 that carried an $11-million mean yearly value.

"Haven't enactment excessively overmuch thought into it, it's lone been conscionable a fig of hours since things person ended."

Marner, who grew up conscionable northbound of Toronto, has been a lightning rod for disapproval arsenic portion of the Original Six franchise's alleged "Core Four" of high-priced guardant endowment that chewed up astir 50 per cent of the team's wage headdress abstraction alongside Matthews, Tavares and Nylander.

The No. 4 wide prime astatine 2015 draft's regular-season numbers person been excellent, including his archetypal 75-assist, 100-point run successful 2024-25. It's the playoffs wherever things person gone disconnected the rails.

Teams 'dream' of having a Marner

Marner has 50 points successful 73 vocation post-season games, but enactment up conscionable six full assists successful 16 contests — the team's grounds is an abysmal 2-14 — erstwhile the Leafs person had a accidental to destruct an opponent.

Veteran winger Max Pacioretty, who was skipper of the Montreal Canadiens earlier successful his career, knows astir the microscope a subordinate similar Marner is nether successful a hockey-mad market.

"Teams are ever dreaming of having a Mitch Marner connected their roster," helium said. "If helium wasn't a large player, determination wouldn't beryllium arsenic overmuch noise."

Marner, who had a afloat no-movement clause successful his declaration the past 2 seasons, would beryllium the biggest sanction to deed the league's unfastened marketplace since Tavares bolted the New York Islanders for Toronto successful 2018 and Artemi Panarin near the Columbus Blue Jackets for the New York Rangers the pursuing year.

"World-class hockey player," Leafs defenceman Morgan Rielly said. "It's been a joyousness to ticker him."

Berube, who won the Cup with the St. Louis Blues successful 2019, said helium "100 per cent" wanted some Marner and Tavares back.

"This squad is simply a precise bully team," helium said. "To get implicit the hump we person to larn from this Game 7 going forward, and we volition learn."

Marner, however, sounded similar a subordinate with 1 ft already retired the door, acceptable to crook the leafage connected this roller-coaster chapter.

"It's been ups and downs," helium said. "You consciousness the emotion and the passionateness successful this city. I've been everlastingly grateful to not conscionable turn up here, but to beryllium capable to deterioration this Maple Leaf

"And beryllium a portion of the history."

Getting healthy

Matthews wouldn't specify the injuries helium dealt with this season, but said the issues started successful grooming camp.

"Definitely a pugnacious twelvemonth physically," said the 27-year-old centre, who added helium doesn't request surgery. "Confident I'll beryllium backmost 100 per cent adjacent season."

Toronto winger and pending restricted escaped cause Matthew Knies, who spent astir of the play connected the apical enactment with Matthews and Marner, said his lone absorption is getting a caller woody done.

"I privation to beryllium here," said the 22-year-old acceptable for a large payday aft putting up 58 points successful 2024-25. "That's each that truly matters."