The waiting is finally over for fans. After one of the most intense contract battles of recent memory, the Toronto Maple Leafs re-signed forward Mitch Marner. He inked a six-year deal with the team. The newly-minted contract has a cap hit of $10.893 million over the six years.
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Toronto Maple Leafs Re-sign Mitch Marner
In 82 games last season, Marner scored 26 goals and added 68 assists for 94 points. His possession numbers were 55.8 percent Corsi and a relative Corsi of 5.7. In seven Stanley Cup playoff games, Marner recorded two goals and two assists for four points.
Over his career, Marner has scored 67 goals and added 157 assists for 224 points in 241 games.
Marner was originally drafted by the Maple Leafs in the first round, fourth overall in the 2015 NHL Entry Draft.
What This Means for the Future
Getting Marner under contract was the biggest task facing Kyle Dubas this off-season. Marner is coming off a career year where he set new career highs in goals, assists, and points. He is crucial to the Leafs success moving forward.
Marner was arguably the best player on the Leafs roster last season. Marner and John Tavares formed one of the league’s most dynamic duos. Both players set career-highs in points and Tavares hit the 40 goal plateau for the first time in his career. Marner deserves a lot of credit for this milestone.
Marner has become one of the league’s best playmakers. He finished third in the entire NHL in primary assists with 52, just four behind league leader Connor McDavid. He also finished fourth in the league for total assists with 68. Not only is he skilled offensively but he is a strong defender as well. Marner finished in the top 10 this season in takeaways with 78 and is also relied upon by the Leafs to kill penalties.
Marner brings it every night for the Leafs. He’s not afraid to put his body on the line for the good of the team, as he proved in Game 3 against the Boston Bruins where he laid out and blocked two shots in the dying seconds to help secure the win for the Leafs. Marner is a player you can build your team around. Along with Auston Matthews, John Tavares, Morgan Rielly, William Nylander and Frederik Andersen, general manager Kyle Dubas has his core set. Now he needs to focus on putting the finishing touches on the defence, to become a true Stanley Cup contender.
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