Paul Bissonnette urges Maple Leafs to sign Mikko Rantanen if $65,418,000 star's contract talks fall through

Paul Bissonnette shared his thoughts on Mitch Marner’s future with the Toronto Maple Leafs during the latest episode of Spittin’ Chiclets on Tuesday. He suggested that if Marner’s contract talks fall through, the Leafs should pursue Mikko Rantanen.

Marner, signed to a six-year, $65.4 million contract, has been a key player for the Leafs. His deal expires at the end of the 2024-25 season.

Bissonnette pointed out that Marner’s playoff performances have not always matched his regular-season success. Especially last season, where Auston Matthews missed few games and the Leafs lost 4-3 in the first round to the Boston Bruins.

"Let’s say playoffs didn't go that positive for the Toronto Maple Leafs." Bissonnette said, "And maybe you get this a similar type performance out of Marner that you saw last year where we can get into the age old argument, like he wasn't a liability, per se, but he definitely wasn't regular-season Mitch."

Bissonnette believes Rantanen’s size and skill would make him a great fit for Toronto (20:45):

"And, you know, so if they were to move on from Mitch Marner and not re-sign him, I would definitely go after Rantanen. And I would overpay him to do so. Because then you have a big body, who is going to be a stud player."

Rantanen, recently traded to the Carolina Hurricanes, is in the final year of his six-year, $55.5 million contract. He has 25 goals and 39 assists in 50 games this season. His combination of size, speed and scoring could make him an ideal target for Toronto.

This season, Mitch Marner has 15 goals and 53 assists in 50 games, ranking fourth in the NHL for points. Over his career, he has 707 points in 626 games.

Paul Bissonnette said Rantanen would add a playoff-ready presence to Maple Leafs lineup

In comparison to Mitch Marner's playoff performance, Rantanen has a strong playoff track record, with 101 points in 81 postseason games.

Paul Bissonnette said Mikko Rantanen would add a playoff-ready presence to the Leafs. He suggested that John Tavares might return on a cheaper deal, creating cap space for Rantanen:

"I'm assuming Tavares is going to come back on a team friendly deal. So he's off the books. He's a big player. You have Nylander -- He's a big, fast dynamic player. Matthews big fast dynamic player, and then all of a sudden you have Ratanen, like that is built like a true playoff team." Bissonnette said.

Bissonnette suggested that Marner might ask for a new contract similar to Auston Matthews’ $13.25 million per year. This could make it hard for the Maple Leafs to keep him.

For now, Mitch Marner is focused on helping the Maple Leafs succeed this season, as he leads the Leafs' leaderboard in assists and points.