Treliving reiterates desire to keep Marner with Leafs after trade report

The Maple Leafs practised at the Utah Olympic Oval in Salt Lake City on Sunday. 

Brad Treliving held an impromptu and brief meeting with the media on Sunday to address the report that he approached Mitch Marner about potentially waiving his no-move clause ahead of the trade deadline.

"We're aligned with Mitch," the Maple Leafs general manager assured. "We're worried about this season. We're worried about the games we have coming up. We want Mitch here for a long time. It's not a distraction."

While it's been a big talking point among fans and the media, Marner's status as a pending unrestricted free agent has not popped up much during interviews with the star winger and his teammates this season. But that changed on Saturday night after TSN Hockey Insider Chris Johnston reported on the conversations between the Carolina Hurricanes and Leafs regarding a potential trade for Mikko Rantanen, who ended up with the Dallas Stars.

"The Leafs approached Marner before the deadline and told him that their first choice was for him to sign an extension in Toronto but that a trade to Carolina was possible if he didn't want to do that," Johnston wrote in The Athletic. "Marner said he wanted to remain with the Leafs."

After Saturday's 7-4 loss to the Colorado Avalanche in Denver, Marner was asked if he was surprised by how things played out. 

"I wasn't focused on it," he said. "You know, I'm sure that I had a feeling that maybe something might happen, but I'm here to play hockey with this team. I'm focused with this team and that's what I can tell you."

"We've moved forward," said Treliving. "We want Mitch here." 

Marner appeared more emotional than usual as he addressed a series of questions about his future. Does he envision himself being a Maple Leaf next season? 

"I'm not going to get into this contract stuff," the 27-year-old said following Saturday's game. "I've been very grateful and I've loved my time being a Leaf. That's [how] I'll leave it with you guys."

Citing league sources, Johnston also reported that Marner's camp has been unwilling to engage in contract negotiations during the season. 

"I support Mitch 1,000 per cent," Treliving stressed. "He's not out here on an island with us."

Marner certainly did not seem distracted on Saturday. He scored twice in the game against the Avalanche.

"He's handled things great," said Leafs captain Auston Matthews. "I think there's certain things that are out of your control and that's one of them. It is what it is. I don't know really what else to say about it. Everybody's focused on today and then when tomorrow comes we'll focus on tomorrow and just continue to progress as a team. We got our group now. There's no big trades or anything that can go on, it's about continuing to take steps with our group here and pushing in the right direction."

Marner leads the Leafs with 79 points in 62 games. He's on pace for 103 points, which would be a career high. 

Marner grew up in the Toronto area while cheering on the Leafs. He is already the fifth leading scorer in franchise history.

Is it hard to imagine him in another sweater?

"Yeah, it is," said Utah Hockey Club forward Alex Kerfoot, who played for the Leafs from 2019 to 2023. "I mean, he's from Toronto. He's been a big part of building what they've become. One of the best players in the league and a guy that leaves it all out there for the Leafs. For them, he's a huge part of the team. They need him around right now. Who knows in the future. I don't talk to him about that stuff at all. That's for him to discuss."

Marner is hoping he won't be talking about it publicly again this season. 

"I'm not going to get into this," he said when asked about the possibility of in-season negotiations. "I'm here to play hockey. Let that happen with my agent [Darren Ferris] and the team. I'm here to play hockey and do my thing."

Treliving made a statement and entertained one question on Sunday before cutting off any further questions. 

"I am not going to get into any questions with regards to contracts and the business side of it," Treliving said. "We've dealt with it here. We'll move forward. We want Mitch here. We are all focused on the 19 games to go."

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With Marner's situation suddenly in the spotlight, John Tavares was also asked about his status as a pending unrestricted free agent. 

"I love it here," the 34-year-old centre said after Saturday's game. "I've stated I want to stay and the team wants to take its time, which I totally get. So, you know, they know how I feel and [I] want to make things work so there'll be time for that. Right now we're focused on earning a playoff spot and doing something special this year. So, that time will come."

Tavares is willing to have negotiations take place during the season.

"I don't see it as an issue or thing that bothers me," he said. "But, most importantly, I'm just focused on the task at hand and when that time comes we'll get there and we'll work through it. Most important, focused on what happened [in Denver] and learn from it and gotta get better and get ready for a big game Monday." 

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The Marner story is unfolding at a time when the Leafs have gone winless in three straight games (0-2-1). 

"We are frustrated, I think," said head coach Craig Berube. "Well, I wouldn't say frustrated. We are making too many mistakes and giving up too many goals. We had a good meeting this morning. You know, guys spoke and trying to get this thing straightened out."

Berube declined to say which players spoke up.

"It is all private stuff," he said. "I don't air that. We had a good meeting. That is where I leave it at, really."

Matthews believes it's time for a reset for the team. 

"Taking a deep breath," the top-line centre advised. "The results of the last couple games haven't been good, but I think as well our game maybe hasn't been trending in the right direction for the last couple weeks. So, it's just everybody taking a look in the mirror, being better, and holding each other accountable."

Berube held a longer-than-usual practice, which featured plenty of instruction. The focus? 

"It was just detailed-based stuff, just kind of smaller things," said defenceman Morgan Rielly. "Not so much effort or not so much structure, just more details within positioning, stick details and stuff."

The Leafs have dropped four points behind the Florida Panthers in the race for first place in the Atlantic Division. The Tampa Bay Lightning, meanwhile, are just one point back. 

"The last few games we haven't really played to our identity," said top-line winger Matthew Knies. "Our record might be pretty decent but that's thanks to our goalies for kind of standing on their heads. We have to play more to our identity and that's going to help us especially when it comes down to crunch time. When it gets close to playoffs we want to be playing our best hockey." 

Monday's first ever encounter in Salt Lake City against the Utah Hockey Club will be Toronto's 11th road game in the last 13. 

"We got a chance tomorrow to end the road trip on the right foot with a game against a good team that's going to be desperate," said Matthews. 

Utah is four points outside of a playoff spot in the Western Conference.

"They're highly competitive," Berube said. "I don't think they're really giving up a whole lot, to be honest with you, watching them. They're playing good defence and they got some good skill. They can go. They're a fast team."

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Chris Tanev participated in a second straight practice, but again skated as the extra defenceman and is expected to miss a sixth straight game due to an upper body injury. 

"He's battling through this," said Berube. "He's going through practice. He's not where he wants to be and we got to be careful with his situation. It's unfortunate because we do miss him. He's a big part of our team, but at the same time we want to do what's best for the player and the player has to do what’s best for himself."

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Toronto's terrific tandem in net has suddenly looked a bit shaky during this losing streak. 

"It's on everybody," Berube said. "Everybody's part of it. We're a team. We gotta be better in front of them and I'm sure they want goals back that go in. So, it's on all of us, coach's included, so we gotta get back on track. We've been a very good defensive team all year and we got to get back to that. We are scoring goals and that's good, but we're giving up too many."

Anthony Stolarz has allowed nine goals on 72 shots (.875 save percentage) in his last three appearances. 

Joseph Woll has allowed eight goals on 41 shots (.805) in his last two games, and was pulled for the first time in his career on Wednesday in Vegas.

"It sucks," Woll said. "It's not fun and that's not what I intend to do, but it's a good learning experience ... I think bad games have a good way of being the biggest learning experiences so, in that way, they're actually good. They don't seem very good in the moment, but I find I learn the most, and make changes maybe I've needed to [because of those] games."

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Bobby McMann, who produced a primary assist while logging just 10 minutes and 44 seconds on Saturday, moved up to the second line with Tavares and William Nylander at practice. 

"I just wanted a little more speed on that line with Tavares and Willy," Berube explained. "Bobby skated well last night. He was physical, made some plays. Just tweaking things a little bit." 

Pontus Holmberg moved down to the third line with Scott Laughton and Max Domi. 

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Laughton was on the ice for three goals against, including one on the penalty kill, during Saturday's debut with the Leafs. 

"I got a lot better, first off," he said. "I think I can provide more, but amazing feeling pulling that jersey over my head for the first time and looking in my stall and seeing my name. So very grateful to be here, be with this special group, and help them out and, yeah, I'll be better."

It's been an emotional couple of days for the 30-year-old from Oakville, Ont., who was traded by the Philadelphia Flyers, the team that drafted him in 2012, on Friday. 

"It's weird," Laughton admitted. "Probably overthinking in some situations. Yeah, more talk. I'll talk to my linemates more and figure out their tendencies and build on our game and be part of the solution here. So, like I said, I got better and I'll provide that Monday night."

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Brandon Carlo also got off to a rocky start in his Leafs debut on Saturday. The newly-acquired defenceman was on the ice for the first two Avalanche goals. 

"Definitely a little foreign in the beginning, but I felt like as the game went on I started to find my footing a bit more," the 28-year-old said. "Needed to stay a little bit inside in the first period there, but as it went on it felt like my gaps got better so, yeah, just trying to focus on finding my game here."

Carlo actually ended up leading the Leafs in ice time (22:04) in his debut. He finished the night at even and posted a game high six blocked shots. 

In a rare trade between division rivals, Carlo was shipped to the Leafs by the Boston Bruins on Friday. The Colorado Springs, Col. had his dad and some friends in attendance on Saturday.

"They were giving me some eyes in warm-ups there," he said with a grin. "Just like, 'Wow this looks weird for you,' but it was great."

Carlo is starting his Leafs career on a pairing with Rielly. 

"Really enjoyed having Mo," Carlo said. "He was great to communicate with on the ice. I think we can build some great chemistry and build a lot from here." 

"He's a big guy with a long stick and very good defensively," said Rielly. "He's elite defensively. He's been a really good player in this league for a long time so to have a chance to play with him creates an awesome opportunity for myself."

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This is Toronto's first ever trip to Utah, which is where the Arizona Coyotes relocated to in the offseason. This a bittersweet trip for Matthews, who fell in love with hockey after attending a Coyotes game while growing up in Scottsdale, Arizona.

"Not really anything you can do about it now," Matthews said. "It is what it is but, you know, it's also kind of exciting to be in a fresh market, fresh place and get to experience a new city."
Sunday's practice at the Utah Olympic Oval was certainly a new experience as the rink is situated in the middle of a long track speed skating track. And there were races taking place on Sunday as the Leafs prepared to start practice. 

"You don't realize how fast they're going," said Matthews. "They look like they're not really trying but they're cruising pretty good out there. It was cool. I've never seen anything like that up close. Pretty neat."

Some Leafs players skated a few laps while mimicking the long track technique. Who would be the best speed skater on the team? 

"I feel like a guy like Bobby McMann would be pretty good," said Matthews. "He's got a long stride. He's big and long. So I'd probably put my money on him. He's pretty fast."

"You gotta think Willy [Nylander] would have a good chance," said Rielly. 

One thing's for sure, Berube isn't in the conversation. 

"Nope," the 59-year-old said with a smile. "I don't move too well."

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Doan family bragging rights are on the line on Monday night. Shane Doan is a special advisor to Treliving while son Josh Doan is a forward with the Utah Hockey Club.

"We've been chirping each other a while about this one," Josh told TSN. "My siblings are in town and my mom will be in town. They will all be, I think, cheering for me, but you never know. My brother is a die-hard Leafs fan now so, yeah, he's sneaky with it. We'll find out. I'm sure whoever wins the family will end up just being on their side for the rest of the year. The stakes are high, but it will be a fun night." 

Josh has been able to catch up with his father a couple times this season when Utah and Toronto travelled through the same cities around the same time. 

"I've seen him on the road more than I've seen him at home, which is a little bit strange," the 23-year-old said. "We talk as much as we can in terms of post game stuff. He'll help me out and we'll talk about what's going on around the league."

Josh grew up in Scottsdale, Arizona when his dad was the captain of the Coyotes. 

"It's interesting with the dynamic with Shane here working for us," said Matthews. "I'm sure it's a pretty cool opportunity for the both of them, for him to watch his son, even though it's not in the place that Shane spent his whole career in. They kind of had that moment last year [when Josh made his NHL debut for the Coyotes]. I'm sure it will be a neat experience. I've known Josh for a little bit now and gotten to know him over the last couple years. He's a great person and a great hockey player too."

Knies, a Phoenix native, is also close with Josh. 

"I've been friends with him since I was 11, 12 years old so it's going to be exciting," Knies said. 'This will be the first time we'll meet each other at the professional level so I'm really pumped about it."

Josh points out that he has bragging rights because his Arizona State team beat Knies' University of Minnesota side in their last NCAA meeting. 

"He's a moose out there so it will be fun to play him tomorrow," Josh said. "We battled a lot over throughout the years and he's always someone who will be competitive and heavy on pucks. It will be a fun battle." 

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Lines at Sunday's practice:

F

Knies - Matthews - Marner
McMann - Tavares - Nylander
Holmberg - Laughton - Domi
Lorentz - Kampf - Robertson
Jarnkrok 

D

McCabe - Ekman-Larsson 
Rielly - Carlo 
Benoit - Myers 
Tanev 

G

Woll 
Stolarz 

Power play units at Sunday's practice: 

PP1

QB: Marner 
Flanks: Matthews, Nylander 
Middle: Tavares 
Net front: Knies 

PP2

QB: Rielly 
Flanks: Domi, Ekman-Larsson 
Middle: Robertson 
Net front: McMann