At a salary of $10.9 million a season, Mitch Marner is the 12th highest paid player in the National Hockey League.
And by my count, give or take a strong argument, he also happens to be just about the 12th best player in hockey.
Which means, big picture, the Maple Leafs are paying him precisely what he should be paid for this hockey season.
Is he better than Connor McDavid or Leon Draisaitl? No. Is he more valuable than Nathan MacKinnon or Cale Makar? No. Can he do what Auston Matthews, at his best, can do? No.
Then you can start your arguments about the relative value and worth of Quinn Hughes or David Pastrnak, Artemi Panarin or Jack Eichel, Sasha Barkov or Kirill Kaprizov? And that’s without considering goaltenders such as Connor Hellebuyck or Igor Shesterkin in the argument.
And somewhere you have consider Sidney Crosby’s value as well, even though his contract ranks him just 42nd on NHL pay scales. It was his choice to under-sell himself. Marner doesn’t seem to be at that same level of generous concerning his future.
So, what do the Leafs do with the 12th or 13th best player in hockey? How do they pay him much more than they’re paying him now, when he’s the rare athlete who is being compensated almost precisely what he deserves.
You can’t pay him more than McDavid or Draisaitl. You can’t pay him more than MacKinnon or Matthews. That’s just logical.
There may be some bad contracts in hockey — Erik Karlsson , Elias Petersson and Jonathan Huberdeau to name three — but the challenge here is slotting Marner where he belongs in the future. And having him agree to that slotting.
If I’m Brad Treliving, the Leafs general manager, I make it clear to Marner’s people: You will be paid well long- term to stay here, but I can’t pay you more than Matthews, McDavid, Draisaitl or MacKinnon. There’s a difference between a great player and an all-time great. And there should always be a difference there in both viewpoint and paycheque.
THIS AND THAT
Matthews travelled to Germany to meet with world renowned physician Dr. Hans-Wilhelm Müller-Wohlfahrt, known for being close with the sprinting legend Usain Bolt and for advocating the usage of the drug Actovegin, which is banned in North America. Actovegin is the same drug that famed Toronto healer Dr. Tony Galea was arrested for crossing the border with years ago. You’re welcome to be suspicious, as I am, about how Matthews was treated and what he may have been treated with … Scotty Bowman always liked the idea of keeping two-thirds of a line together and rotating the third player in and out. Craig Berube likes that philosophy as well. If the Leafs are completely healthy, using the Bowman approach, they could have John Tavares and Marner on one line, Matthews with Matthew Knies on another and have William Nylander playing with whatever centre they pick up via trade. How do you defend against having a line-driver on three different trios? This is assuming that Bobby McMann, Max Domi and Max Pacioretty are eventually healthy, as well. Pittsburgh won two Stanley Cup utilizing Crosby on one line, Evgeni Malkin on another and Phil Kessel driving offence from the third line … The 4 Nations Face-off rosters will be out in a few days. Strange that the NHL is having a mid-season tournament when, at the quarter-pole, many of its best players — Draisaitl, Nikita Kucherov, Martin Necas, Kaprizov, Andrei Vasilevskiy and Shesterkin — are all from countries that aren’t Canada, USA, Sweden or Finland … The level of early-season desperation might be at an all-time high around the NHL. The Rangers, Bruins, Predators, Canadiens, Penguins, Sabres, Red Wings, Senators, Islanders and Blackhawks are all looking to make a significant deal of some kind. There are a lot of trading partners out there. But there is also a huge amount of angst around … Based on the first quarter of the season, Zach Hyman shouldn’t be picked for Team Canada. Same with Connor Bedard in Chicago. But I wouldn’t be surprised if either were selected … Bill Guerin played for the greatest professional version of Team USA, the 1996 World Cup winners. Now he’s the GM of American side for the 4 Nations Face-off, which leads into the 2026 Olympics in Italy. “We have the greatest array of American hockey players that we’ve ever had before,” said Guerin. There are almost 20 national team qualify forwards in the NHL and Guerin somehow has to let at least seven of them know there’s no place for them. “That’s the hardest part and the worst part,” the GM said. “Players are going to be disappointed. Everybody wants to play. We don’t have room for everybody.” … Team USA will start with a defence that includes Hughes, Adam Fox, Charlie McAvoy, Jaccob Slavin, Zach Werenski and two of Brock Faber, Jake Sanderson, John Carlson, K’Andre Miller, Noah Hanifan and Luke Hughes. Pretty strong in the back end in front of obvious starter Hellebuyck … Not sure why, but the NHL is going to be naming quarter-century teams for each franchise next year: The Leafs’ quarter-century group would likely have Matthews, Marner and Mats Sundin up front, Morgan Rielly and Tomas Kaberle on defence, and strange as it sounds, Freddie Andersen in goal. Doug Gilmour was traded before this century began … The Montreal version, through a so-so era for the Habs, would likely have Saku Koivu, Pacioretty and either Nick Suzuki or Brendan Gallagher up front, with P.K. Subban and Andrei Markov on defence and Carey Price in goal … Interesting Pittsburgh lineup: Crosby, Malkin, Mario Lemieux, Kris Letang, Sergei Gonchar and Marc-Andre Fleury.
HEAR AND THERE
When I personally witness Juan Soto being driven down the Gardiner Expressway with police escorts, a la Taylor Swift, then I’ll know for certain that he’s signed with the Blue Jays. Until then, I remain skeptical, and worried that Vladimir Guerrero Jr., still hasn’t been signed to a deal beyond next season … Still believe Soto will wind up in either Boston or New York — with the Red Sox, Yankees or Mets. The Bosox have been a surprising player so far this off-season … My spell-check hates the term Bosox. It keeps changing it to Botox. And every time I type ‘Knies’ it changes it to ‘Knees’ … Who needs a hug more: Jeremy Swayman, Linus Ullmark, or both? … John Herdman was a giant contributor to Canadian soccer with all he did in developing the women’s national team and then advancing the men’s team to the World Cup. That he is now out — more pushed out than resigned — as coach of Toronto FC is a rather sad ending for a figure of such national significance. It’s no accident that he didn’t participate with the drone investigation post-Olympics. He made himself unavailable and that essentially sealed his fate with TFC and possibly with ever coaching in Canada again … Washington’s Spencer Carbery is the best NHL coach nobody talks about … Tennis needs to fix its inconsistent drug suspensions. You can’t look the other way because it’s Iga Swiatek getting caught. You have to treat all players the same … First look at the second season of the PWHL on Saturday afternoon and what stands out immediately are the uniforms.I don’t care much for the name ‘Toronto Sceptres’ but already care for their spectacular home uniforms. The bright blue and gold almost jumped out of my television screen. They are that great looking … Raptors players who have impressed in this 5-15 season: RJ Barrett at home, Scottie Barnes in about seven of the nine games he’s played, Gradey Dick’s expanding offence, Jakob Poeltl’s overall game, Davion Mitchell’s defence and the smarts of Ochai Agbaji. Maybe the most entertaining .250 basketball team I can remember seeing … With a record of 3-14, old friend Nick Nurse must be beside himself in Philadelphia. He didn’t mess this team up, but you have to wonder if he’ll wind up taking the blame for it.
SCENE AND HEARD
Sometimes coaches get fired. Sometimes they all but fire themselves. Chicago Bears’ Nick Eberflus fired himself with the stunning mismanagement of the final seconds of the Thanksgiving Day loss to the Detroit Lions. And if he wasn’t going to be fired for that, he would have been for his post-game defence of his mismanagement. … Eberflus saying he did the right thing in the final seconds reminded me of Pete Carroll at the Super Bowl trying to defend his decision of not giving the ball to Marshawn Lynch at the one-yard line. Sometimes you just have to admit: I screwed up … A terrific MVP platform and possible preview Sunday in the NFL. Saquon Barkley versus Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry. Three of the NFL’s top five MVP candidates playing on the same field together … If I were voting today, I’d have Barkley first on my ballot, followed by Jackson and Buffalo quarterback Josh Allen … Crosby agreed to re-sign in Pittsburgh, his choice, where the Penguins look nothing like a playoff team. But he has a long way to go to catch Mark Messier, whose teams didn’t make the playoffs in his final seven NHL seasons. Messier made the playoffs in 17 of his first 18 years … This may be the shortest Northern Star (former Lou Marsh) Award voting meeting in history, for Canada’s athlete of the year. Usually, it’s a battle royal of sorts, with blood and foreign objects and screaming to come up with a winner. This year? You say, anybody against Summer McIntosh? Nope. OK, time for lunch …. Try and understand the CFL. I can’t. In the quarterback-thin league, Vernon Adams, the above average QB with the B.C. Lions, was basically given away to the Calgary Stampeders. In the coming days, the Montreal Alouettes will release starter Cody Fajardo to avoid paying him a bonus. Nick Arbuckle and Fajardo will almost certainly be free agents, meaning the past two Grey Cup winning QBs will be on the open market … Forgot this last week; Department of Dumb rule: You block a punt in the CFL. You recover it. You push somebody on the way to recovering the ball. You get penalized and you don’t get the football. Never seen that before. Hope to never see it again.
AND ANOTHER THING
You can sing Happy Anniversary for the following: 10 years since the Blue Jays traded for Josh Donaldson; 53 years since the most famous fumble in CFL history, Leon McQuay slipped and Leo Cahill fell … Donaldson is one of two Jays to win MVP in the American League. The other is George Bell … Four Jays have won the Cy Young Award, five if you count that Roger Clemens won twice. The other Jays were Pat Hentgen, Roy Halladay and Robbie Ray … Department of Bad Voting: Dave Stieb never finished higher than fourth in Cy Young balloting … Matthews has won a Hart Trophy and finished second and fourth in recent seasons. Donaldson finished first and fourth in MVP voting his first two seasons with the Jays. Bell won his MVP in 1987 but finished fourth twice … Sundin never finished higher than eighth in MVP voting. Vince Carter never finished higher than 10th. Gilmour finished second and fourth in his first two full seasons in Toronto … What a Friday night for the great Canadian Shai Gilgeous-Alexander in Los Angeles. Playing the Lakers, SGA outscored the combination of LeBron James and Anthony Davis 36-27 in a win for the Thunder …. This is crazy: Wayne Gretzky won nine MVP awards in the NHL. Combined, Michael Jordan and LeBron have won nine MVP awards in the NBA … Barry Bonds has the most MVPs in baseball with seven, including four in a row. Peyton Manning the NFL, with five. Doug Flutie has the most in the CFL with six … Willard Reaves, father of the Leafs’ Ryan Reaves, won the Most Outstanding Player in the CFL in 1984, one year after Warren Moon won and the year before Mervyn Fernandez took home top honours … The highest Marner has finished in an MVP vote was 13th. Nylander has never had an MVP vote, according to the Hockey Reference website … Happy birthday to Jim McKenny (78), Larry Walker (58), Bo Jackson (62), Lee Trevino (85), Russell Wilson (36), George Foster (76), Bill Lankhof (72), Stefon Diggs (31), Sylvie Daigle (62) and Nathalie Lambert (61) … It’s December! Where does the time go? … And hey, whatever became of Rance Mulliniks?
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