NHL salary cap update forces Maple Leafs to take action with Mitch Marner

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Alexander Cole
November 18, 2024 (12:34)

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Toronto Maple Leafs forward Mitch Marner is up for a new contract with the team, although the franchise is looking closely at the salary cap before getting too antsy.

As it turns out, according to Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet, the salary cap will at least go up to $92.5 million next season.

"One of the things they are talking about is the salary cap. It's expected to be about $92.5M for next year. When the deal is done, we had no idea what the world was gonna look like and there were guardrails on the cap in case things didn't improve."

However, as Friedman explained, the league believes the cap could go even higher.

Revenues are a lot higher than previously foreseen and it is leading to hopes that the league will raise the cap to $95 million or perhaps even $97 million.

NHL Salary Cap could increase and impact the Maple Leafs

"Well fortunately for the NHL revenue has been strong, and outpaced that guardrail. So now we have two paths to follow: One, either they keep the cap at $92.5 and then there's a huge jump the year after that in 2026-27, or there's the possibility [and players have been told] that the cap goes higher next year in the $95-97M area."

Essentially, the league just needs to put a plan in place before they can officially make a decision. That said, the general managers are hopeful.

"I'm hearing it's definitely going to be discussed, and there is some optimism they can find a way to do it."

This affects Mitch Marner and the Maple Leafs in a big way. Now that they will have more salary cap space to play with, they can afford to pay Marner what he is worth.

Furthermore, the same can be said of up-and-coming stars like Matthew Knies, who could demand in excess of $6 million per year.

You also cannot forget John Tavares, who is also owed a new contract.

Needless to say, Brad Treliving has a lot to think about throughout the upcoming offseason.

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NOVEMBRE 18 \| 272 ANSWERS NHL salary cap update forces Maple Leafs to take action with Mitch Marner Do you believe the Maple Leafs will get a deal done with Mitch Marner soon?
YES	224	82.4 %
NO	48	17.6 %
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