Atlantic Notes: Marner, Bertuzzi, Panthers, Dickinson

The tides may be turning in this summer’s edition of the Mitch Marner saga. Speaking on TSN 1050’s “First Up” on Monday, Darren Dreger reports that general manager Brad Treliving may prefer to put his resources into extending the star winger rather than trading him this summer as he enters the final year of his contract.

Dreger did note that the Leafs haven’t started extension discussions with Marner’s camp yet. His quote today falls in line with previous reporting that Toronto wouldn’t approach Marner about waiving his no-move clause until an acceptable offer was presented to them. Additionally, Chris Johnston of SDPN, TSN and The Athletic said over the weekend that the team wasn’t fully committed to the idea of trading Marner.

It won’t stop trade speculation from ramping up, though, nor will it likely quiet any actual trade talks going on behind the scenes. Teams will still pursue the winger – The Fourth Period’s David Pagnotta listed the Blackhawks, Golden Knights, Predators and Stars as interested parties today. If there’s an exceptionally strong offer presented to Treliving, there’s no indication that he’d turn away.

Regardless, it doesn’t appear there’s a huge sense of urgency to resolve the situation in the next few weeks. However, waiting until after the opening of free agency, when teams spent the majority of their offseason cap space, to swing a trade would heavily complicate discussions.

Sticking with Toronto, Pagnotta said today that Treliving remains in negotiations with pending free agent winger Tyler Bertuzzi to try and keep him from hitting the UFA market in a couple of weeks. An extension doesn’t appear imminent, though. The 29-year-old had 21 goals and 43 points in 80 games this season after signing a one-year, $5.5MM deal in free agency with the Leafs last summer.

Elsewhere in the Atlantic:

• The Panthers have entered into a “multi-year” affiliation agreement with the ECHL’s Savannah Ghost Pirates, per a team announcement. They said late last week that they wouldn’t be renewing their ECHL affiliation with the Florida Everblades, who have won three consecutive Kelly Cup titles. With the move, the Panthers land an ECHL affiliation much closer to their primary minor-league club, the AHL’s Charlotte Checkers. Considering moves between AHL and ECHL affiliates occur almost daily, it’s a better setup for the club’s fringe minor-leaguers. The Ghost Pirates entered the league in advance of the 2022-23 campaign and have spent the last two seasons as the second-tier affiliate of the Golden Knights. They’ve yet to make the ECHL’s Kelly Cup Playoffs.
• Top 2024 NHL Draft defense prospect Sam Dickinson said his pre-draft interview with the Senators was one he was “looking forward” to in an interview with TSN’s Mark Masters. Dickinson told Masters the interview went “really well” and that his preparation for it was a “little more intense” given the chance of the Ontario-born blue liner staying close to home. The 18-year-old racked up 18 goals, 70 points and a +56 rating in 68 games with the OHL’s London Knights this season, leading their defensemen in scoring. He’s the seventh-ranked North American skater in the class by NHL Central Scouting and could very well be available when Ottawa steps up to the podium with the seventh overall pick.