Vegas Golden Knights Acquire Versatile Forward From the Maple Leafs
After nine seasons in the NHL, all of which have been spent with the Maple Leafs, forward Mitch Marner has been traded to the Vegas Golden Knights with an eight-year x $12 million contract. At 28 years old, Marner has become a well-known name across the NHL, known for his playmaking abilities and impressive two-way play. The fourth overall draft pick in the 2015 NHL Draft has gone on to play a total of 657 games and has 741 points across those games. After another playoff loss for the Maple Leafs, it was rumored that Marner had probably played his last game for Toronto. Several teams expressed interest in the six-foot right winger, but the Golden Knights have officially signed him on for the 2025-2026 season.
Despite offers from schools such as the University of Michigan, Marner decided not to play for a college and rather played for London. During his time in the OHL, he finished second among all rookies in terms of scoring and helped lead London to the Memorial Cup in the 2015-2016 season. With 61 points at the end of his rookie season, Marner made the 2016-2017 All-Rookie team. He was also a key component in helping the Maple Leafs to the Stanley Cup Playoffs that year. Marner went on to grow his skill and only continued to impress, despite an ankle injury during his career. At six feet and 180 pounds, Marner may not be the most physically imposing player in the league, but he is sneaky fast, proving to be a very valuable trait. Marner also represented Canada at the Four Nations Face Off in early 2025, scoring an overtime goal to secure a 4-3 win for Team Canada over Sweden in the first round of the tournament.
Marner had a lot of expectations for him going into his rookie year, and he has continued to impress since. His time in Toronto has proven himself to be a valuable player, and though he may not be continuing on with the Maple Leafs, he is sure to be a great asset for the Golden Knights in the upcoming season. The two-time NHL First All-Star is not done quite yet. Keep your eyes on Mitch Marner as he continues his journey in the NHL with the Vegas Golden Knights.
