The Toronto Maple Leafs may be staring down one of the biggest contract decisions in franchise history. According to NHL insiders Frank Seravalli and David Pagnotta, Mitch Marner’s next deal could command a record-setting salary—and potentially eclipse team captain Auston Matthews on the Leafs' payroll.

One of the big questions in the aftermath of the Mitch Marner trade deadline kerfuffle had to do with contract negotiations. We learned it wasn’t Marner waiting on the Toronto Maple Leafs to get a deal done.

If Mitch Marner is going to finally silence his playoff critics, this might be the year it happens — and it might not come by dominating games. Instead, if Marner shows up and is resilient in the face of certain struggles,