NHL analyst JD Bunkis believes the star winger is likely to leave in free agency, given everything that has percolated from the Maple Leafs environment during the past few weeks and months. Bunkis appeared on Sportsnet's "Leafs Talk" show on Sunday and said that, in his eyes, the situation is "leaning" toward a Marner exit from Toronto next summer.

With the trade deadline now passed, the Toronto Maple Leafs ended up missing out on one of the biggest deals of the year.

The Toronto Maple Leafs were extremely active during deadline day on Friday (Mar. 7) bringing in Brandon Carlo from the Boston Bruins and Scott Laughton from the Philadelphia Flyers, while also moving Connor Dewar and Conor Timmins to the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Mitch Marner’s future with the Toronto Maple Leafs remains uncertain, and even more so following the developments taking place from Friday through Sunday's impromptu press conference by GM Brad Treliving. NHL insider Chris Johnston believes free agency is the most likely outcome for Marner.

The biggest stunner of the NHL trade deadline was the Carolina Hurricanes trading Mikko Rantanen. Just weeks after picking him up from the Colorado Avalanche, they flipped him to the Dallas Stars after failed contract negotiations.

Elliotte Friedman is reporting that the Toronto Maple Leafs approached superstar forward Mitch Marner and asked if he would consider waiving his no-move clause to facilitate a trade in an effort to acquire Mikko Rantanen from the Carolina Hurricanes.