Mitch Marner: what now?

[princedpw]

It seems reasonable to keep in mind the fact that none of the top RFAs have signed ? Point, Rantanen, Aho, Tkachuck, Laine, Boeser, ...  Marner?s great, but so are some of those other guys.  My understanding is that Tampa?s got just about as tough a time with the cap this year and next as Toronto.  So Marner?s situation isn?t all that unusual. Are all these guys offer sheet targets? If they were, that would certainly be a remarkable change from business as usual in the NHL over the last decade. Or is the media maybe just jerking our chains a little and overselling the offer sheet possibility for Toronto only?

That's certainly possible but I think something people often overlook is it really does take two to tango on offer sheets. A lot of the guys you're talking about may very well not want to leave their teams and their teams want to take care of them but they're just waiting for some sort of market to be established. If they're not interested in an offer sheet, there's not going to be that noise around them.

If Marner is genuinely ok with leaving if he doesn't get the deal he wants he could very well be a target and none of the other guys are.

yes, but I dont have any idea whether Marner is more or less willing to leave than anybody else.

 

[Guru Tugginmypuddah]

I'm at Pearson on the lookout for Marner all day.

Watch for Dreger disguised as a Hare Krishna. 

 

[Kin]

yes, but I dont have any idea whether Marner is more or less willing to leave than anybody else.

Right. I'm suggesting though that the fact that we're hearing so much about Marner being willing to entertain offer sheets and meeting with other teams and very little about anyone else might be indicative of his thoughts on the matter.

 

[herman]

https://mapleleafshotstove.com/2019/06/26/as-the-rfa-interview-period-opens-the-toronto-maple-leafs-are-right-to-call-the-marner-camps-bluff/

Ferris has never had one of his clients actually back up his bluster.

 

[Zee]

https://twitter.com/THNRyanKennedy/status/1143936948702236672

 

[Heroic Shrimp]

https://twitter.com/THNRyanKennedy/status/1143936948702236672

A high-profile agent with the initials D.F.

 

[Bender]

yes, but I dont have any idea whether Marner is more or less willing to leave than anybody else.

Right. I'm suggesting though that the fact that we're hearing so much about Marner being willing to entertain offer sheets and meeting with other teams and very little about anyone else might be indicative of his thoughts on the matter.

His thoughts on the matter or his agent's attempt to negotiate through the media?

 

[louisstamos]

yes, but I dont have any idea whether Marner is more or less willing to leave than anybody else.

Right. I'm suggesting though that the fact that we're hearing so much about Marner being willing to entertain offer sheets and meeting with other teams and very little about anyone else might be indicative of his thoughts on the matter.

His thoughts on the matter or his agent's attempt to negotiate through the media Darren Dreger?

Fixed for you. 

 

[Kin]

His thoughts on the matter or his agent's attempt to negotiate through the media?

I think that by saying it "might" be something I'm sort of tacitly agreeing that it may also be something else.

I mean, a third possibility is Marner doesn't want to leave but as his people are clearly willing to get their message out there, they may be willing to aggressively pursue offer sheets without any real interest in signing them just to use them as further leverage with the Leafs.

There's a wide world of possibilities out there.

 

[Zee]

Next up in the Ferris playbook is to suggest Marner might look to go and play in Europe if he can't come to an agreeable contract.

 

[bustaheims]

https://twitter.com/THNRyanKennedy/status/1143936948702236672

A high-profile agent with the initials D.F.

You mean, not named D.F., who would be insisting they are coming.

 

[Kaberle15]

They could avoid this circa if they enable Arbitration's Rights after the 1st contract...

 

[princedpw]

yes, but I dont have any idea whether Marner is more or less willing to leave than anybody else.

Right. I'm suggesting though that the fact that we're hearing so much about Marner being willing to entertain offer sheets and meeting with other teams and very little about anyone else might be indicative of his thoughts on the matter.

I understand. It?s just tough to figure out what all the media noise means.  I?m just not sure how much of this is Marner vs his agent?s negotiating tactics vs the Toronto media generating news.  Until this negotiation period, I have never heard Marner suggest he was even remotely unhappy with Toronto.  Every year, many players have contentious negotiations with their teams. Every year, there are a few players who sign in training camp or after the season starts. Obviously, we are a very long way from that. But still, the offer sheets never come.  It?s possible that Marner is that one unique guy, but I?ll continue to bet against it until I hear something more direct.

 

[Kin]

I understand. It?s just tough to figure out what all the media noise means.  I?m just not sure how much of this is Marner vs his agent?s negotiating tactics vs the Toronto media generating news.  Until this negotiation period, I have never heard Marner suggest he was even remotely unhappy with Toronto.

No. But then again you don't need to be actively unhappy with your job to be receptive to a new offer. Especially in a league where outside of maybe one or two teams, just about any team that makes an offer will be within striking distance of being just as competitive as the Leafs.

  Every year, many players have contentious negotiations with their teams. Every year, there are a few players who sign in training camp or after the season starts. Obviously, we are a very long way from that. But still, the offer sheets never come.  It?s possible that Marner is that one unique guy, but I?ll continue to bet against it until I hear something more direct.

Fair enough. I'm also in that camp of being pretty skeptical about an avalanche of offer sheets.

 

[Redleaf]

I'd guess this offer sheet business is 95% media driven nonsense.

With completely asinine headlines like this....
'Would Lamoriello look for ?revenge? against the Leafs?'

 

[caver]

how much time does a team get to react after a player has signed an offer sheet?

 

[louisstamos]

how much time does a team get to react have after a player has signed an offer sheet?

I believe it's a week?

 

[Kin]

how much time does a team get to react have after a player has signed an offer sheet?

I believe it's a week?

Yup. Seven days.

 

[Guilt Trip]

If I'm the Leafs I'm talking to Brayden Point, Matthew Tkachuk, Aho and Meier just in case. Would also talk to the Bread man. Would love to have Tkachuk.

 

[Bullfrog]

yes, but I dont have any idea whether Marner is more or less willing to leave than anybody else.

Right. I'm suggesting though that the fact that we're hearing so much about Marner being willing to entertain offer sheets and meeting with other teams and very little about anyone else might be indicative of his thoughts on the matter.

I understand. It?s just tough to figure out what all the media noise means.  I?m just not sure how much of this is Marner vs his agent?s negotiating tactics vs the Toronto media generating news.  Until this negotiation period, I have never heard Marner suggest he was even remotely unhappy with Toronto.  Every year, many players have contentious negotiations with their teams. Every year, there are a few players who sign in training camp or after the season starts. Obviously, we are a very long way from that. But still, the offer sheets never come.  It?s possible that Marner is that one unique guy, but I?ll continue to bet against it until I hear something more direct.

That's kind of the point I was making earlier when I noted that I hadn't heard a single quote from Marner. I really think this is all his agent's negotiating tactics.