Speculation around Mitch Marner’s future intensified after former NHL player Paul Bissonnette linked the Toronto Maple Leafs star to the Pittsburgh Penguins.
The comments come just hours after the Penguins and head coach Mike Sullivan officially parted ways, ending a 10-year relationship that included two Stanley Cup championships in 2016 and 2017.
Bissonnette based his idea on the possibility of a Marner reunion with Kyle Dubas this summer after the former Maple Leafs general manager left the position to join the Penguins organization.
Speaking on the “Pat McAfee Show” on Monday, Bissonnette pointed to Dubas’ history with Marner and the Penguins’ available cap space.
“Mitch Marner is gonna be a free agent and Kyle Dubas loves em..
He’s a guy that’s probably gonna command $14M a year on the open market” ~ @BizNasty2point0#PMSLivehttps://t.co/GwWMNox2gjpic.twitter.com/nJ9MEpgSzu
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) April 28, 2025
“One (upcoming top-tier free agent) that probably sticks out is Mitch Marner (who) hasn’t signed yet,” Bissonnette said. “He’s a Toronto Maple Leaf. Kyle Dubas loves Mitch Marner. He was with him in Toronto.
”There’s a little hostility between the Maple Leafs and Marner, based on the fact that they tried to trade him at the deadline for Mikko Rantanen, who was available, and they were willing to part ways with Mitch Marner, even though he had a 100-point season.”
Marner, who will turn 28 in May, is coming off his first 100-point season with 102 points (27 goals, 75 assists) in 81 games. He also has seven points (one goal, six assists) through the first four playoff games of the Maple Leafs’ first-round series against the Ottawa Senators.
Bissonnette added that Marner is likely to command a massive contract on the open market.
“As far as Mitch Marner is concerned, he hasn’t—just like the book is still out on Dubas as a GM, the book is still out on Mitch Marner as far as playoff performance,” Bissonnette said. “He’s had a great start to this year.
”Things get harder as you progress through the second and third rounds, but he’s a guy that’s going to command probably $14 million on the open market.”
Dubas, now the general manager of the Penguins, was the man who handed Marner his current six-year, $65.41 million contract in 2019.
The Maple Leafs currently lead their first-round series against Ottawa 3-1 with Game 5 scheduled for Tuesday.
Related: Maple Leafs Fans Send Three-Word Message to Florida Panthers
Related: Maple Leafs’ John Tavares Shares Details on Game 4 Concussion Scare
Speculation around Mitch Marner’s future intensified after former NHL player Paul Bissonnette linked the Toronto Maple Leafs star to the Pittsburgh Penguins.
The comments come just hours after the Penguins and head coach Mike Sullivan officially parted ways, ending a 10-year relationship that included two Stanley Cup championships in 2016 and 2017.
Bissonnette based his idea on the possibility of a Marner reunion with Kyle Dubas this summer after the former Maple Leafs general manager left the position to join the Penguins organization.
Speaking on the “Pat McAfee Show” on Monday, Bissonnette pointed to Dubas’ history with Marner and the Penguins’ available cap space.
“Mitch Marner is gonna be a free agent and Kyle Dubas loves em..
He’s a guy that’s probably gonna command $14M a year on the open market” ~ @BizNasty2point0#PMSLivehttps://t.co/GwWMNox2gjpic.twitter.com/nJ9MEpgSzu
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) April 28, 2025
“One (upcoming top-tier free agent) that probably sticks out is Mitch Marner (who) hasn’t signed yet,” Bissonnette said. “He’s a Toronto Maple Leaf. Kyle Dubas loves Mitch Marner. He was with him in Toronto.
”There’s a little hostility between the Maple Leafs and Marner, based on the fact that they tried to trade him at the deadline for Mikko Rantanen, who was available, and they were willing to part ways with Mitch Marner, even though he had a 100-point season.”
Marner, who will turn 28 in May, is coming off his first 100-point season with 102 points (27 goals, 75 assists) in 81 games. He also has seven points (one goal, six assists) through the first four playoff games of the Maple Leafs’ first-round series against the Ottawa Senators.
Bissonnette added that Marner is likely to command a massive contract on the open market.
“As far as Mitch Marner is concerned, he hasn’t—just like the book is still out on Dubas as a GM, the book is still out on Mitch Marner as far as playoff performance,” Bissonnette said. “He’s had a great start to this year.
”Things get harder as you progress through the second and third rounds, but he’s a guy that’s going to command probably $14 million on the open market.”
Dubas, now the general manager of the Penguins, was the man who handed Marner his current six-year, $65.41 million contract in 2019.
The Maple Leafs currently lead their first-round series against Ottawa 3-1 with Game 5 scheduled for Tuesday.
Related: Maple Leafs Fans Send Three-Word Message to Florida Panthers
Related: Maple Leafs’ John Tavares Shares Details on Game 4 Concussion Scare
