Quote:
Originally Posted by dissentowner
None of those players you mentioned were under contract at any time to those teams though with a NMC. You are right, the Leafs can let him walk but if I am Marner I take that chance over accepting a trade because the two best outcomes are the Leafs retain me or I cash in as a UFA. There is no good reason for Mitch Marner to do the Leafs a favour by accepting a trade.
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It is Marner’s right to simply say ‘no, I’m staying’. No argument there.
Again, and I think this extends well beyond the limits of hockey, but in any given relationship if one party says to the other they don’t wish to continue the relationship, I’d bet the vast majority come to an end.
Another wrinkle to this, and I don’t necessarily think this would happen, but there are other ways for the Leafs to force the issue. What if it’s ’accidentally leaked’ that Marner said no to a trade? Would the Leaf fans turn on him (more than a good portion of them have already)? Utah, or otherwise, might start to look pretty good.