Report: Mitch Marner Won’t Return to the Maple Leafs Next Season
It looks like the Mitch Marner era in Toronto is officially coming to an end.
According to veteran hockey reporter Andy Strickland, the 28-year-old winger will not be returning to the Toronto Maple Leafs for the 2025–26 season. In a post shared earlier this week, Strickland stated:
"Can confirm Mitch Marner will not be returning to Toronto. Will be playing for a new team come next season."
Unless something drastically changes before July 1, the Leafs will let Marner walk into unrestricted free agency, ending a near-decade-long run with the franchise that drafted him 4th overall in 2015.
Marner is projected to be the top name available in free agency, and several teams are already being linked to him. NHL insider David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period reports that the Carolina Hurricanes, Columbus Blue Jackets, Los Angeles Kings, Utah HC, Vegas Golden Knights, and Anaheim Ducks are all expected to pursue the dynamic playmaker aggressively.
Meanwhile, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman has noted that if Marner does leave Toronto, he expects the forward to land with a team in the Western Conference, further fueling speculation that Marner wants a fresh start far from the intense Toronto spotlight.
Marner is coming off another stellar regular season, notching 102 points and adding 13 points in 13 playoff games. Yet, despite an impressive 63 points in 70 career playoff games, he’s still often criticized for disappearing in big moments — a perception that has followed him for several postseasons.
Still, his career numbers speak for themselves. Marner has suited up in 657 career NHL games, all with the Leafs, and ranks fifth all-time in franchise scoring with 741 points. He has been a pillar of Toronto’s “Core Four” alongside Auston Matthews, William Nylander, and John Tavares.
But after another year of playoff disappointment, it appears that the front office is ready to break up the core — and Marner is likely the first domino to fall.
Letting Marner go could shift the focus back to John Tavares, who is also set to become a UFA on July 1. Strickland added that Marner’s departure might "open the door" for Tavares to return on a more team-friendly deal.
Meanwhile, the Leafs could look to shake things up with some familiar names.
Sam Bennett, a native of Holland Landing, Ontario, might be an attractive option if he parts ways with the Florida Panthers this summer. Brad Marchand, who grew up a Leafs fan in Halifax, has also been floated as a dark horse target — with The Athletic’s Pierre LeBrun naming Toronto “among the possibilities” for the Bruins captain, should he test free agency.
This summer could be one of the most dramatic in recent Leafs history — and Marner’s exit might just be the beginning.
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Reviewed by Christopher Hodgson
on
June 13, 2025
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