Mitch Marner's fate in Toronto could be sealed

It's going to be one of the more intriguing storylines in the National Hockey League in short order, and especially given the fact that it's a high profile player in hockey's biggest media market. 

Toronto Maple Leafs forward Mitch Marner is due for a new contract following the upcoming season, and there are many who believe that his time with the franchise needs to come to a close after he once again put up good numbers in the regular season but struggled in the playoffs. Of course, his tongue-in-cheek comparison of himself and his Leafs teammates being viewed as "gods" soon afterward didn't go over very well.

With a major cap hit that could very well be used to fill other needs on the Leafs roster, NHL Insider Frank Seravalli of The Daily Faceoff believes that Toronto management is essentially going to strong-arm Marner into a departure, whether it be immediately or months down the road. 

“I know what his (Marner’s) camp has said and I’m not doubting them at all and their ability or interest to hold firm on the full no move," Seravalli opined. "It’s just that I think the Leafs are going to make a play and they’re going to basically back them into a corner over the next three weeks that says, Mitch, it’s been great, but we’re moving on. Whether it’s now or eight months from now, your time is up.”

This came on the heels of Leafs GM Brad Treliving announcing that a Marner deal wasn't going to take place just for the sake of making a trade: 

"We’re not going to do play-by-play on it. We’ve got to look at every possible way for our team to be better," Treliving said. “Mitch controls a lot of this whole thing. If there’s a way to make our team better, we’re going to do it. But we’re certainly not going to make a trade just so we can pound our chest and say, ‘Look, we’re different." 

One thing is for certain - the Leafs roster that hits the ice this fall will not be the same as the one that skated off the TD Garden ice in defeat following their heartbreaking Game 7 loss to the rival Boston Bruins. 

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