Stanley Cup Champion Blasts Mitch Marner’s Reported Contract Demands originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
Mitch Marner’s name continues to swirl around the NHL rumor mill with speculation mounting about his future with the Toronto Maple Leafs.
With Marner’s unrestricted free agency looming after the 2024–25 season ended in another early playoffs exit for Toronto, Marner’s reported asking price is drawing scrutiny, including from someone with multiple championships under his belt.
Three-time Stanley Cup winner Ken Daneyko made his position clear while appearing on NHL Network’s “NHL Tonight” on Friday, pushing back hard on the notion that Marner deserves to reset the market.
“We’re here to give opinions, right? I’m not giving Mitch Marner $14 million in a million years,” Daneyko said.
Mitch Marner is reportedly set to hit free agency on July 1st and would immediately be one of the most sought-after players on the open market in recent memory.
With the rumor mill swirling, could the Carolina Hurricanes be a potential suitor? @adnansvirk | @KenDaneykoMSG |… pic.twitter.com/kDFyMPzYkk
— NHL Network (@NHLNetwork) June 14, 2025
Daneyko emphasized that his stance isn’t a knock on Marner’s skill or consistency, something he made clear is right there for everybody to see.
“He’s incredibly skilled, nearly a 100-point player year in and year out,” Daneyko said.
Daneyko, however, knocked Marner for his perceived lack of postseason production, which is way below his regular-season standard and averages.
“In today’s NHL, with how close the competition is and how tight the cap can be, you need more than just regular-season production.
“You need playoff impact.”
With the salary cap constraints tightening around top-heavy rosters, Daneyko said the value of star players needs to be judged on more than just numbers.
“Until you prove to me you can be a big-game player, I don’t care if you have 200 points in the regular season,” Daneyko said. “I’m not paying you that kind of money.
“I’m just giving my opinion if I’m a general manager.”
The Leafs selected Marner with the No. 4 overall pick in the 2014 NHL Draft. He scored a career-high 102 points this season, now having racked up 741 points in 657 regular-season games with Toronto, along with 63 points in 70 playoff games.
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This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 14, 2025, where it first appeared.