Why securing Mitch Marner's extension this summer is a must

Marner is one of those players who always finds ways to shine on the ice. Not only can he have an impact every night, he makes his teammates better.

General manager Brad Treliving must start thinking about an extension deal. Marner is set to become a free agent in the summer of 2025, meaning that on July 1st of this year, he'll be eligible to sign an extension.

Treliving managed to sign both William Nylander and Auston Matthews in the past year, and as we saw, the process attracts a lot of attention to the team and can become quite a distraction for players. If the GM waits until the start of the next season, it could affect the team.

The other challenge is that Marner will surely ask for a significant raise. Considered one of the best playmakers in the NHL, the Leafs will need to pay up to keep him.

The Leafs' Stanley Cup window goes through the 2027-28 season. Around that time, young players Easton Cowan, Fraser Minten, Joseph Woll, and Matthew Knies should have reached the next level of their development and possibly play a valuable role with the team. The Leafs will try to keep him in Toronto in that span.

With Matthews signing at $13,250,000 for four seasons and Nylander agreeing to an eight-year $11,500,000 deal, that leaves Marner with a few possibilities.

If he wants to sign long-term like Nylander, or prefers a shorter-term contract like Matthews, he should be able to get it done. As for the amount, it would be surprising to see him get as much as Matthews, but should be able to get more than Nylander. Don't be surprised if he ends up getting something around 12 million a year.

Treliving won't risk losing him to free agency and he'll likely give Marner what he wants.

This summer will once again be very interesting for the Toronto Maple Leafs fans.

Source: Maple Leafs Daily - Why the Marner extension needs to get done quickly this summer