Golden Knights Land Mitch Marner in Blockbuster Deal with Maple Leafs
The Toronto Maple Leafs have traded star forward Mitch Marner to the Vegas Golden Knights in exchange for Nicolas Roy, ending a memorable chapter in Leafs history.
Marner, 28, promptly signed an eight-year, $96 million contract with Vegas, carrying an average annual value of $12 million. The move prevents him from hitting unrestricted free agency and marks a major acquisition for a Golden Knights team looking to reclaim its championship form.
Toronto receives forward Nicolas Roy in the deal. The 28-year-old tallied 31 points (15 goals, 16 assists) in 71 regular-season games for Vegas last season and contributed four points in 11 playoff games. A fourth-round pick in the 2015 NHL Draft, Roy has recorded 166 points across 369 regular-season games in his career.
Marner, originally drafted fourth overall by the Maple Leafs in 2015, delivered his best season yet in 2024–25 with a career-high 102 points (27 goals, 75 assists) over 81 games. He added 13 points in 13 playoff appearances. Over nine seasons with Toronto, he totaled 741 points (221 goals, 520 assists) in 657 games, along with 63 points in 70 postseason contests.
Raised in Markham, Ontario, Marner spent his entire NHL career with his hometown team, but speculation over his future had been building as his six-year, $65.358 million contract neared expiration. Leafs GM Brad Treliving had previously indicated that Marner was likely to test free agency.
Marner took to Instagram to share an emotional farewell to Toronto:
“Leaving isn’t easy. This city is where I grew up, where I fell in love with hockey, and where I had the honor of living my dream. I gave everything I had… but in the end, it wasn’t enough.”
The trade also marks the end of Marner’s partnership with captain Auston Matthews, drafted No. 1 overall by Toronto in 2016. While the Maple Leafs reached the Stanley Cup Playoffs in nine straight seasons during Marner’s tenure, they only advanced past the second round once.
As he joins Vegas, Marner becomes part of a franchise that has made the playoffs in seven of its eight NHL seasons and won the Stanley Cup in 2022–23. He is expected to wear No. 93 for the Golden Knights.
For Vegas, this trade is a bold push to reassert their contender status. For Toronto, it’s a bittersweet farewell and the start of a new chapter.
