Maple Leafs Shouldn’t Invest Much in Meeting With Mitch Marner & Agent Darren Ferris – The Hockey Writers – Toronto Maple Leafs

For weeks, it felt like Mitch Marner’s time with the Toronto Maple Leafs was quietly ticking down — a breakup waiting for the Dear John letter. After another early playoff exit and an expiring contract, the 27-year-old winger became the centre of trade speculation. Reports were that he wasn’t interested in waiving his no-move clause or signing an extension. The writing was on the wall: the Maple Leafs would need to move on, with or without his cooperation.

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Then came the twist. According to insider Elliotte Friedman, Marner’s agent, Darren Ferris, has now offered the Maple Leafs a meeting once free agency opens on July 1 — the same meeting Marner offers to other interested teams. On the surface, it seems polite. In reality, it might be something much more calculated.

More Than Courtesy: This Is a Marner Tactical Play

This invitation likely isn’t about Toronto learning anything new. It’s a strategic move by Marner’s camp. Extending the same “open door” to the Maple Leafs offered to other teams keeps the player looking cooperative and professional, rather than resistant or difficult. It also creates subtle pressure: if Toronto declines the meeting, it might seem final or dismissive. If they accept, they’re drawn back into a conversation they have wanted to avoid.

It might also be Ferris doing what he does best — leveraging optics. The meeting might be a step in setting up a sign-and-trade, where Marner gauges interest from other teams, brings that intel back to Toronto, and looks for a way to control the terms of his departure. That would let him avoid free agency altogether and still help the Maple Leafs recoup some value.

Should the Maple Leafs Accept the Meeting?

There’s little downside to hearing Marner out. Staying in the loop makes sense even if nothing changes, especially with a high-profile asset in play. That said, general manager Brad Treliving has to weigh the risk of being pulled into another slow, frustrating negotiation with a player whose camp has shown a history of holding firm. The Maple Leafs could see the offer not as genuine interest, but as a calculated move with no real intent to stay.

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This sudden shift in tone begs the…