However, it seems Marner might not be as dedicated to Toronto as he puts off. According to TSN's Chris Johnston, the Core 4 player will likely walk away from the team when he hits free agency.
Naturally, fans have shared their cynicism in this prediction. Many have expressed their negative opinions of Marner, accusing him of using his platform to boost his persona while truthfully having more care for his paycheck. Others simply stated it would be better to trade him now.
Whether or not Mitch Marner cares about his tenure with the Maple Leafs ultimately has little substance in what Toronto can do. With very little cap space to work with and a high paycheck for a still-losing team, it may be better to cut losses ahead of time. However, with little sign of the forward heading elsewhere soon, Marner will likely, as he stated, finish out his last year.