Brad Marchand is here to help drive up Mitch Marner's price tag

An antagonist on the ice, an antagonist online.

Scrolling through his Twitter feed on Tuesday morning, Brad Marchand just happened to stumble upon the latest add to the series of accomplishments attained by Mitch Marner in his final entry-level season (this was, becoming the first Maple Leafs player since Phil Kessel to reach 80 points on the season and just the eighth in franchise history to reach the milestone in less than 66 games), and decided to offer his two cents on the third-year winger’s much-debated value.

“It better be.”

Of course, Marner’s annual value — which must be determined this summer — is the most significant outstanding variable in determining just how boxed in the Maple Leafs become under the salary cap, and its strict parameters which stand to be the greatest hurdle to the franchise building a title-winner in the Brendan Shanahan-Kyle Dubas-Mike Babcock era.

And because the Maple Leafs and Marchand’s Boston Bruins can’t seem to stay out of each other’s way once the playoffs roll around, he has every reason to advocate for Marner squeezing every last penny out of Toronto in restricted free agency.

Even if it’s for nearly double what he’ll earn over the next six seasons himself.

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