Regardless of his lack of postseason success, Mitch Marner has done enough to go down as one of the better players in Maple Leafs franchise history. But as the end of his six-year, $65.41MM contract looms, it’s almost a certainty the top pending unrestricted free agent will indeed test the market this summer, writes Chris Johnston of The Athletic.
When Marner reportedly declined to waive his no-movement clause in a deal at the deadline that would have sent him to the Hurricanes for Mikko Rantanen, some believed he did so in hopes of continuing extension talks with Toronto. That wasn’t necessarily the case, Johnston notes. While the Leafs were interested in in-season extension talks, Marner’s camp has refused to…