Marner appears focused on honouring last year of deal, no talks between Leafs, Tavares

It appears extension talks for the Toronto Maple Leafs with star forwards Mitch Marner and John Tavares are on hold as both players get set to enter the final season of their contracts. 

TSN Hockey Insider Pierre LeBrun writes in The Athletic that the focus for Marner "is on honoring the remaining year of his contract and seeing where things go from there." He adds that there is not believed to be an appetite to open contract talks on July 1, with Marner's camp preferring to see how the season starts before potentially getting started. 

LeBrun notes that the Maple Leafs have also held no conversations with Tavares' agent, Pat Brisson, regarding a contract extension. He notes that Tavares has no interest in a trade as he, as well as Marner, hold full no-move clauses on their expiring deals. 

Tavares is entering the final season of a seven-year, $77 million deal he signed with the Maple Leafs in July of 2018. The 33-year-old centre recorded 29 goals and 65 points in 80 games last season. He added a goal and two points in seven playoff games as the Maple Leafs were eliminated by the Boston Bruins in the first round.

Marner, 27, is on the final season of a six-year, $65.408 million deal he signed with the Maple Leafs in September of 2019. He recorded 26 goals and 85 points in 69 games last season. He added a goal and three points in seven playoff games.

With a cap hit of $11 million, Tavares is currently set to be the NHL's 11th highest-paid player in 2024-25, with Marner 12th at a cap hit of $10.9 million. Maple Leafs centre Auston Matthews leads the list at a cap hit of $13.25 million on his new deal, with Toronto winger William Nylander checking in at No. 7 on the list at $11.5 million. 

Leafs talking with Edmundson

The Maple Leafs have $18.5 million in projected cap space this off-season, according to CapFriendly, with 16 players under contract. 

LeBrun reports there is mutual interest between the Maple Leafs and pending unrestricted free agent Joel Edmundson in a new deal after the defenceman was acquired at the trade deadline. He notes, however, that it is not a sure thing a deal gets done. 

Edmundson is coming off a four-year, $14 million deal signed with the Montreal Canadiens in 2020. His cap hit with the Leafs this season, though, was just $875,000 after the Canadiens and Washington Capitals retaining salary on his deal. 

The 30-year-old went without a point in nine games with the Maple Leafs during the regular season after being acquired from Washington for a two draft picks. He had one assist while playing in all seven playoff games.

Selected in the second round of the 2011 draft by the St. Louis Blues, Edmundson has 29 goals and 110 points in 530 career games. He won the Stanley Cup with the Blues in 2019.