One trusted Insider believes that Mitch Marner's new deal will be larger than Igor Shesterkin's latest contract demands.

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A TSN Hockey Insider has dropped a bit of a teaser over what Mitch Marner’s next contract could look like with the Maple Leafs.

The Toronto Maple Leafs welcome Igor Shesterkin and the New York Rangers to Scotiabank Arena tonight, hoping to extend their 3-game win streak to 4 consecutive wins in front of the hometown crowd.

A lot has been made of Igor Shesterkin’s quest to become the highest paid goalie of all-time, with the Russian netminder seeking a deal reportedly in excess of $12M. Now, thanks to a conversation surrounding Shesterkin between TSN’s Bryan Hayes and Pierre LeBrun, we have a pretty good idea what Marner’s new deal may look like if he extends in Toronto.

During a chat on TSN 1050’s OverDrive on Friday, Hayes slipped a number to LeBrun on Marner, proposing the idea that Marner could be quietly looking to get a deal done somewhere in the 8 years at $12.5M per season range, stating that he wouldn’t be surprised to see that type of a deal. LeBrun’s reply? “I wouldn’t be shocked either.”
“How dare you pay Mitch Marner more than what Igor Shesterkin wants,” LeBrun joked. “I know, I know,” Hayes replied. “But it’s probably gonna happen. I wouldn’t be shocked.”
Maple Leafs forward Mitch Marner is a new-age hero with an old-school approach - The Globe and Mail
After confirming that he wouldn’t be shocked if 8 years at $12.5M ended up being in the wheelhouse for a Marner deal, Hayes pressed LeBrun for more information on why he believes the Marner deal could resemble those terms. LeBrun reiterated everything we currently know about the situation and used common sense to drive home his point.
“I wouldn’t be shocked either… there’s no inside info on the Marner thing. It’s just that I know that the plan going in was to see how the year would start, how everyone was feeling, to keep the communication going, to talk (which they are, Marner’s camp and the Leafs), and see where it leads. To me, if this is the kind of year they’re going to have, what are you missing?”
Marner is very likely going to receive more than William Nylander’s $11.5M per season. He’s also very likely going to receive less than Auston Matthews’ $13.25M per season. A pretty comfortable middle ground seems to be in that $12.5M range.

Obviously, until a deal is signed, we won’t know the terms, but when one of hockey’s most reputable insiders is suggesting that something is within the realm or possibility, it’s certainly worth a discussion. The question is, what does Marner want to do? There is almost certainly more money for him out there on the open market if he wants to test free agency in the summer of 2025, but he has also publicly stated a number of times that he wishes to remain a Maple Leaf for a long time, so perhaps that means he’s willing to leave some money on the table to ensure that happens. That’s the hope, anyway.