Toronto Maple Leafs Star Mitch Marner Hit with Life-Changing News

What a year it has been for Mitch Marner. Not only in the middle of a career year and about to receive a massive payday this summer, he's also just helped Canada win the inaugural 4 Nations Face-Off Championship.

The good times keep on rolling for Marner, as the Maple Leafs superstar received some pretty incredible, albeit life-changing news: He's going to be a father.

Marner posted on his social media a picture of a cookie with blue icing as well as a noted card that reads:

It follows in the same vein as Morgan Rielly, who also recently had a baby as well as teammate Simon Benoit, who also became a father this summer.

So what could this mean for the Maple Leafs?

With the news that Marner is going to be a father, it's great news for the Marner family, though it does give a little bit of pause.

Though his child will be born way after the regular season and playoffs, it coincides with the beginning of the season, and with Marner expected to sign a big deal; are teams worried it'll affect his play?

We've seen it with both Rielly and Benoit where having a child can change things in your routine and schedule regardless of how rigid things are. That plays a physical and mental toll and to an athlete, it's a death sentence at times.

But here's the real question: Does Marner want to move his pregnant wife to a new city near her due date? Does this mean that he will be more inclined to take a deal from Toronto in order to keep his family together?

We know he wants to stay here, and now that he has a kid on the way; will he make such a drastic change on top of already monumental life event?

Whatever the decision, Marner is going to need to figure that out once the season is over, and his focus needs to lie now on helping the Maple Leafs win.

He's doing his part at least. In 55 games, Marner has 16 goals and 55 assists while carrying the team in the wake of two Auston Matthews absences.