Marner agrees to new, six-year contract with Maple Leafs

Restricted free-agent forward Mitch Marner agreed to a new, six-year contract Friday with the Toronto Maple Leafs, ending one of the most controversial negotiations of the NHL offseason.

Marner’s deal carries a $10.893 million average annual value against the salary cap, sources confirmed.

That makes the 22-year-old the thirdhighest paid member of the Leafs, behind high-scoring centers Auston Matthews ($11.634 million) and John Tavares ($11 million).

Marner’s cap hit will be the seventhhighest in the NHL among all players and is second only to New York Rangers freeagent signee Artemi Panarin ($11,642,857) among wingers.

Marner missed the team’s golf event Wednesday and did not accompany the group to Newfoundland Thursday for the start of training camp while his representatives continued to negotiate with Maple Leafs general manager Kyle Dubas.

The speedy Marner led the Maple Leafs last season with career highs in points (94) and assists (68). He also chipped in with a career-best 26 goals.

Stars

Forward Corey Perry has a broken foot that could keep him out for the regularseason opener with his new team. Perry, 34, signed with the Stars this summer as a free agent after spending his first 14 NHL seasons with Anaheim. He said on the opening day of training camp Friday that he tripped on a step earlier in the week and broke a small bone in his left foot. General manager Jim Nill said Perry wouldn’t skate for two weeks.

Jets

Veteran defenseman Dustin Byfuglien was granted a leave of absence by Winnipeg, and there is no timetable for his return. As expected, restricted free-agent forwards Patrik Laine and Kyle Connor did not show up for the first day of training camp Friday as they seek new contracts, but Byfuglien came as a surprise. The club did not say why the leave was necessary. “Let’s just put it this way — there’s nothing sinister to this,” coach Paul Maurice said.

Sharks

San Jose wasted little time in replacing Joe Pavelski as captain, giving the role to high-scoring forward Logan Couture even before starting camp. “It’s not going to be the same,” Couture said Friday after the first practice at training camp since losing Pavelski to Dallas in free agency this summer. “It’s the [bad] part of professional sports when friends move on.”

Oilers

Star Connor McDavid was cleared for practice and didn’t require a noncontact jersey as the team opened training camp Friday. McDavid spent much of his offseason rehabilitatin a torn ligament in his left knee that did not require surgery. There were no signs the injury was bothering him Friday.