While most NHL free agents typically sign on July 1, Mitch Marner may take a different approach and wait until later in the summer to make his decision as he considers various potential destinations.
TSN Hockey Insider Darren Dreger said on TSN Radio 1050’s First Up Tuesday that Marner’s camp is expected to take time evaluating offers and visiting cities, aiming to reach a decision by mid-July.
Dreger also mentioned that Marner hasn’t ruled out returning to the Toronto Maple Leafs, and the team could still be in the running once free agency begins.
Several teams are reportedly preparing offers for Marner, though it’s still unclear how much he’ll command — and whether he’ll become the NHL’s highest-paid player.
The 28-year-old winger is coming off a standout season, tallying 27 goals and a career-best 102 points over 81 games for the Maple Leafs. He added two goals and 13 points in 13 playoff games before Toronto was eliminated by the Florida Panthers in the second round.
Marner just completed a six-year, $65.41 million deal that carried an annual cap hit of $10.9 million.
FanDuel has posted odds on Marner’s next team, listing the Vegas Golden Knights as the favorites, followed by the Carolina Hurricanes, Anaheim Ducks, and Pittsburgh Penguins. The Maple Leafs have relatively long odds at +1900 to retain him.
Malkin’s Penguins tenure coming to an end?
Evgeni Malkin is still under contract with the Pittsburgh Penguins for one more season, but according to Josh Yohe of The Athletic, it’s expected to be his last with the team.
Yohe reports that the Penguins likely won’t extend a new contract to the 39-year-old center, leaving his future in the NHL uncertain—especially since Malkin has said he only wants to play for Pittsburgh.
Set to turn 39 in July, Malkin is entering his 20th season with the franchise that drafted him second overall in 2004. Over his career, he’s won three Stanley Cups, the Calder and Hart Trophies, and the Art Ross Trophy twice. He ranks second in team history in games played (1,213), trailing only Sidney Crosby, and sits third in goals, assists, and points, behind only Mario Lemieux and Crosby.
Malkin is currently playing on a four-year deal signed in 2022 with a $6.1 million cap hit. He recorded 16 goals and 50 points in 68 games this past season, following back-to-back 25+ goal seasons, including an 83-point campaign in 2022–23—his best since 2018.
Yohe also notes that while the Penguins aren’t expected to make major moves in free agency, they could seek veteran help to support Malkin during what seems to be his final year with the team.
No buyouts in Columbus
Columbus Blue Jackets general manager Don Waddell has no intention of using buyouts on any players this offseason, he told Brian Hedger of the Columbus Dispatch.
Although goaltender Elvis Merzlikins and defenseman Damon Severson were thought to be possible buyout candidates, Waddell made it clear he wants to give both players another opportunity under their existing contracts.
“No, not at all,” Waddell said when asked about buyouts. “We’re not looking at it at all.”
Merzlikins’ future has been uncertain since he publicly requested a trade in January. The 31-year-old finished the season with a 26-21-5 record, a .892 save percentage, and a 3.18 goals-against average. He ended the year serving as backup to breakout rookie Jet Greaves.
Merzlikins is signed through the 2026-27 season with a $5.4 million cap hit and a 10-team no-trade clause. A buyout would save Columbus $3.9 million in cap space this year and $2.6 million next year, but it would also carry a $1.625 million penalty in the two years after. However, the team isn’t facing any cap issues, with roughly $40.4 million in available space this summer, according to CapFriendly.
Severson, entering the third year of an eight-year, $50 million deal acquired via a sign-and-trade from the New Jersey Devils in 2023, also appears safe. His contract carries a $6.25 million cap hit and a full no-trade clause until July 1, 2027, at which point it becomes a 20-team list.
The 30-year-old defenseman had six goals and 25 points in 70 games, averaging 19:03 of ice time — fourth most on the team.
“Maybe this past season didn’t go the way he or we hoped, for a number of reasons,” Waddell said of Severson. “But we’ll reset this summer, and he’ll come back ready to compete for a top role on the blue line. We know what he’s capable of.”
Originally drafted by New Jersey in the second round in 2012, Severson has 73 goals and 316 points over 784 career NHL games.
Finding a centre for Toronto
The Toronto Maple Leafs are reportedly in the market for a center this offseason and have been linked to Sam Bennett if he departs the Florida Panthers.
However, with the New York Rangers appearing to move on from some of their veteran players, the hosts of OverDrive discussed Monday whether Mika Zibanejad could be a potential fit in Toronto.
Bennett might seek as much as $10 million annually on a new contract, while Zibanejad is already signed through the 2029-30 season at an $8.5 million cap hit. The 32-year-old center tallied 20 goals and 62 points over 82 games this past season and is just two years removed from a 39-goal campaign—the second-highest total of his career.
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