Mitch Marner Removes Six Teams From His Free Agency Wish List, per Source
Photo credit: John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images
Mitch Marner is going to be the biggest free agent this summer, but if you're a team that's north of the border, you might just be out of luck according to sources.
With the Mitch Marner sweepstakes expected to be in full swing come July 1, the odds of him staying in Toronto are about as slim as they've ever been. Sure, it's possible he sticks around, but that's going to be like pulling teeth.
No, Canada: Mitch Marner Doesn't Want To Play In Market
He's going to have his fair share of suitors, and every single team should be salivating at the chance to add Marner to their roster. However, according to sources, if you're in a Canadian market, you might as well move on
Per Anthony Di Marco of The Daily Faceoff:
As I wrote about a few weeks back, expect the #Flames to look at all top Free Agents this summer.
One would assume that Mitch Marner will be one of them but, speaking with one executive, there is a belief that he will not want to play in Canada should he leave TO.
One would assume that Mitch Marner will be one of them but, speaking with one executive, there is a belief that he will not want to play in Canada should he leave TO.
Canadian Market Tough To Play In For Multitude Of Reasons
If Marner is out of Toronto, that also leaves Montreal, Ottawa, Winnipeg, Edmonton, Calgary, and Vancouver off the list too, and all but assures that he'll head to a destination that will give him a bit of financial flexibility (aka tax breaks).
While unfortunate for all of those aforementioned teams, Marner is within his right to choose where he wants to go.
Odds are, places like Utah, Chicago, Detroit, and Los Angeles are prime destinations, and could even head to a place like Florida and really make him a villain in Toronto.
He's not the first player who has passed over playing in Canada, and while everyone has their opinions, it seems a combination of media scrutiny and certain locations are the main culprits in why free agents move on.
If you're in Toronto, you're under constant media pressure and scrutiny. If you're in Montreal and Ottawa, you're part of a rabid fanbase, but teams that aren't really at that next level, and the language barrier might be too much for some.
Shifting gears out to Alberta, while the Oilers are a dominant team with a huge following, the bitter winters alone are enough to sway some away; and that's not even mentioning Winnipeg's even colder temperatures.
Vancouver seems like the most reasonable destination for some, given the relatively decent weather, proximity to California, and lack of immense media pressure.
But it's also as far across Canada west as you really can go, and if you're a player who has ties to the Eastern market in either Canada or the US; you're gonna wanna be a bit closer to home.
That's just a couple of reasons as to why players like Marner would choose a different market (that's not even touching taxes and the like) and while it's unfortunate for us, it's just business.
| POLL | ||
MAI 23 | 852 ANSWERS Mitch Marner Removes Six Teams From His Free Agency Wish List, per Source Which team do you think Mitch Marner should sign with in Free Agency? | ||
| Chicago | 237 | 27.8 % |
| Detroit | 88 | 10.3 % |
| Utah | 165 | 19.4 % |
| Re-Sign with Toronto | 362 | 42.5 % |
| List of polls | ||
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