A day before the NHL free agency kicked off, the Toronto Maple Leafs struck a significant trade with the Vegas Golden Knights. The Leafs traded All-Star Forward Mitch Marner to the Knights, as reported on Monday.
This move is Marner’s first attempt to enter free agency, and it appears to be a sign-and-trade deal, though details about his new contract remain unclear.
In exchange, the Maple Leafs received center Nick Roy. Roy, who has played six seasons with the Knights and a total of eight in the NHL after starting his career with the Carolina Hurricanes, contributed 15 goals and 16 assists last season, totaling 31 points in 71 games.
Marner’s prior contract, which he just wrapped up, was a six-year deal that carried an annual cap hit of $10.9 million. Throughout his nine years with the Maple Leafs, he accumulated 741 points, including an impressive 102 goals in the last season alone. During the playoffs, he managed two goals and 11 assists across 13 games.
Drafted as the fourth overall pick in 2015, Marner has made quite an impact, though as the Leafs aim for a Stanley Cup, significant changes are happening on their roster. Meanwhile, the Golden Knights, under veteran coach Bruce Cassidy, won the Cup in the 2022-23 season, marking a swift rise for the franchise formed just six years ago. They made it to the Stanley Cup final in their inaugural season in 2017-18 as well.
Last season, the Knights posted a record of 50-22 but faced a similar fate to the Leafs, being eliminated in the second round, ultimately losing to the Edmonton Oilers, who again fell short in the finals against the Florida Panthers.
Now, Marner will join other talents like Jack Eichel, Mark Stone, and Tomáš Hertl in Vegas, while the Maple Leafs can shift their focus as free agency approaches on July 1st.
