Mitch Marner's time with the Toronto Maple Leafs may be nearing its end. With free agency set to begin on July 1, the star winger’s future is up in the air. Speculation is mounting that the Leafs could trade his signing rights, as Marner reportedly seeks a record-setting long-term deal this offseason.

Toronto Maple Leafs general manager Brad Treliving addressed the media on Sunday regarding Mitch Marner’s contract situation. The 28-year-old winger is slated to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1, and questions continue to swirl about whether the team will trade his rights to recoup assets.“You’d always like to get something, right?” Treliving said. “That’s not always the case. That’s probably as far as I want to get into it, but we’ll see how things go.”

If the Leafs move Marner’s rights before July 1, the acquiring team would gain the ability to offer him an eight-year contract. Multiple reports suggest Marner will seek a salary in the $13–14 million range, a figure that would surpass Mikko Rantanen’s $12 million AAV and make Marner the highest-paid winger in NHL history.Since being drafted fourth overall in 2015, Marner has become a key part of the Leafs’ offensive core.

He has posted multiple 90+ point seasons and consistently delivered elite two-way play. However, his time in Toronto has been marred by playoff disappointment. In nine years, the Leafs have advanced past the first round just twice and still haven’t come close to ending their Stanley Cup drought.Treliving himself acknowledged that something fundamental must shift. “Some of the team’s DNA needs to change,” he said, signaling that no player, including Marner, is untouchable.

With the NHL salary cap rising and several cap-rich teams looking to add elite talent, Marner’s market will be strong if he hits free agency. But if Toronto can find a trade partner before July 1, they may secure future assets while allowing Marner to get his eight-year deal elsewhere.Also Read: Wayne Gretzky’s 1988 stick sells for $336K to Logan Paul in record-breaking auctionAt 28 years old and entering his prime, Marner has every reason to seek long-term security and a chance to win. The coming days could define the next chapter of both Marner’s career and the future of the Maple Leafs.