Toronto Maple Leafs star Mitch Marner will hit free agency on July 1, and according to FanDuel Sports Network’s Andy Strickland, he "will not be returning to Toronto" next season.
Marner has played the last nine seasons with his hometown team since being drafted fourth overall in 2015 by them. Over that span, the 28-year-old has recorded 221 regular-season goals, 520 assists and 741 points.
Only time will tell which sweater he’ll wear next season, but it’s worth noting that teams like the Vegas Golden Knights, Carolina Hurricanes and Anaheim Ducks have all been mentioned as possible landing spots for Marner.
Meanwhile, on Tuesday, former Maple Leaf Matt Martin "announced his retirement from the NHL and was named a special assistant to New York Islanders general manager Mathieu Darche."
After word spread about Martin’s retirement, Marner took to social media, reposting the NHL’s "Thank you, wishing you all the best in retirement" post. He also added a message of his own to Martin.
"One of one❤️ congrats Bro!!" Marner said.
Martin, 36, was drafted by the Islanders in the fifth round of the 2008 NHL draft.
He spent the first seven seasons of his career with New York before joining the Leafs during Marner’s first two years in the league (2016-17 and 2017-18). Together, they made two playoff appearances but lost in the first round both times.
Martin then returned to the Islanders for the final seven years of his career. Over 15 seasons, he played in a total of 987 games, recording 81 goals, 97 assists, and 178 points.
