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TORONTO - Craig Berube wanted to get to know Mitch Marner.

The Toronto Maple Leafs head coach met with the team's star winger — a fan snapped a picture and posted the encounter to social media — shortly after he was hired last spring.

Berube came away impressed, and he's since watched Marner lead the group on many nights. The 27-year-old winger's 80 points in 64 games tops the roster's ledger by a wide margin.

There were always going to be questions about Marner's future this season with the local product in the final year of his contract churning towards unrestricted free agency this summer.

The player and organization managed to keep that chatter mostly out of the public eye since training camp — until the NHL trade deadline's aftermath.

Marner, according to multiple reports, was approached by the Leafs to see if he was willing to waive his no-trade protection to facilitate a blockbuster deal with the Carolina Hurricanes for fellow pending UFA winger Mikko Rantanen.

The player picked No. 4 overall by the team he cheered for as a kid declined the offer, which was well within his right, and Rantanen was instead shipped to Dallas, where he signed an eight-year, US$96-million extension.

Marner has only spoken to reporters once since last week's trade deadline passed — he was not made available to the media following Wednesday's practice in Toronto — but is instead letting his play do the talking.

"He's just focused on hockey," Berube said. "He's been focused on it all year and he's played extremely well. Been a real good teammate and leader for the team, and produced. The situation is what it is. I'm glad he's here playing for us." 

Marner, who had a key role in Canada's victory over the U.S. at the 4 Nations Face-Off final, scored twice in Saturday's 7-4 loss to the Colorado Avalanche before burying the shootout clincher Monday against the Utah Hockey Club as the Leafs (39-22-3) wrapped up a stretch that saw them play 11 of 13 games away from home.

Toronto centre John Tavares, another pending UFA, has played alongside Marner since signing with the Original Six franchise in July 2018. He's not surprised his teammate put his head down and went to work as the noise he's grown accustomed to swirled around him.

"Sometimes it's actually the easiest part, when you can go out there and you aren't really thinking about anything else other than just playing," Tavares said. "You get in the flow of the game and competing and do something you've done your whole life."

The two players the road-weary Leafs acquired at the deadline — defenceman Brandon Carlo from the Boston Bruins and centre Scott Laughton from the Philadelphia Flyers — have already seen up-close what playing in hockey's biggest media market is all about.

"This environment, you know coming into it, Toronto is a beast," said Carlo, 28. "It's exciting to be here, to be a part of this, in one of the greatest hockey cities."

Laughton, who grew up in suburban Oakville, Ont., said it was a strange feeling coming to the rink Wednesday morning. Much like Marner, the 30-year-old cheered for the Leafs as a kid, with Mats Sundin, Darcy Tucker and Tomas Kaberle among his favourites.

"Didn't make it to many games, but definitely watched a lot," Laughton said. "We always had Saturday night practice, so I'd listen to the game on the radio with my dad on the way home. It's pretty cool to be in this room right now and be on the other side of it." 

Marner also dreamt of one day suiting up in blue and white.

Whether that continues beyond July 1 remains to be seen. Berube, however, has no doubt where his head is at.

"I pay attention to the player," said the coach. "What he's looking like to me and his body language and things like that. Mitch has had good energy. He's got a lot of energy every game, every practice. He seems happy. 

"Those are the things I focus on." 

NEW SURROUNDINGS

Carlo was asked if he's been surprised by any of his new teammates and how they carry themselves away from the rink since joining Toronto. 

"(Max) Domi has been f---ing awesome," said the Colorado Springs, Colo., product. "He's a guy that I would be slashing on the ice and whatnot during the playoffs, but he's been super nice. Same with everybody else in the room."

TENANT TALK

Laughton owns property in Toronto, but will be in a hotel for the time being. So has there been a landlord-tenant conversation since the trade?

"Gonna have to give him the boot here at some point," Laughton joked. "I've just been trying to catch my breath and settle in."

This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 12, 2025.