TORONTO 鈥� Mitch Marner both dazzled and frustrated Maple Leafs fans across nine roller-coaster seasons.
The local kid dreamt of pulling on the Original Six franchise's blue-and-white threads and starring under his hometown's intense spotlight.
Now he's exiting stage left, a long march out the door complete.
The Leafs officially shipped the skilled winger to the Vegas Golden Knights for depth centre Nicolas Roy on Tuesday in a sign-and-trade deal that brings an end to Marner's time in Toronto 鈥� and the so-called "Core 4" that was never able to get the club over its playoff hump.
Marner agreed to an eight-year, US$96-million extension with his now-former team before the swap was completed. He would have only been able to sign a seven-year contract on the NHL's open market in unrestricted free agency at noon ET.
The 28-year-year-old, who had a full no-movement clause in his previous contract for the last two seasons, posted a message to his Instagram account shortly after the move was made official.
"Leaving isn't easy," Marner wrote. "All I wanted was help to bring a Stanley Cup to Toronto. That was always the goal, and I came up short. I know how much this team means to this city, and I know the expectations that come with wearing this jersey.
"I gave everything I had, but in the end, it wasn't enough. That's hard to admit, because I wanted it so badly, for all of us."
So how did the Leafs get to a point where arguably the most talented local player to ever don their colours 鈥� many envisioned his No. 16 one day hanging from Scotiabank Arena's rafters 鈥� would leave under these circumstances?
"He's going to go down as one of the great Leafs, right?" Toronto general manager Brad Treliving said at the team's practice facility. "The statistics prove it. Ultimately, the player has a choice."
The Leafs also announced they had officially re-signed pending restricted free agent forward Matthew Knies to a six-year, $46.5-million extension.
The 22-year-old Phoenix product registered 29 goals and 29 assists for 58 points across 78 games in his second full NHL season playing on the top line alongside Marner and Auston Matthews.
"Everyone's so invested," Knies said of playing in Toronto. "It's a special place."
He was also asked about Marner's departure on his video conference call with reporters.
"You're not happy seeing one of your (leaders), one of your veteran players on another team," Knies said. "But that's the business."
Roy, who's heading into the final year of a contract that pays him $3 million annually, had 31 points (15 goals, 16 assists) in 71 games last season.
"When a player of Mitch's magnitude moves away, that's never a fun day," Treliving said. "But we were able to recoup a player who I think can really help us."
The Leafs, who got John Tavares at a discount rate of just over $17.5 million across four years last week, also acquired Matias Maccelli and re-signed fellow forward Steven Lorentz to a three-year, $4.05-million extension Monday. Toronto then added some bruising depth up front by inking Michael Pezzetta to a two-year, US$1.57-million pact.
Marner, meanwhile, now heads to a Knights team 鈥� one coming off first- and second-round playoff exits the last two springs 鈥� with far less media and fan attention, but also an organization that has shown it can be ruthlessly quick to cut bait.
The No. 4 pick at the 2015 draft had exceptional regular-season success in Toronto alongside a four-headed star forward group made up of Matthews, Tavares and William Nylander.
He registered 102 points in 2024-25 and hit 90 on three other occasions thanks to incredible vision, on-ice smarts and a magical set of hands. Apart from breathtaking offensive ability, Marner also took care of his own zone, finishing seventh in Selke Trophy voting this past season as the league's top defensive forward.
The playoffs, however, were a stunningly different story.
Marner, who inked a six-year contract extension with Toronto worth more than $65 million in September 2019, became the focus among a rabid fan base for the team's post-season shortfalls.
The six-foot, 180-pound Marner produced 63 points (13 goals, 50 assists) in 70 playoff contests, but the Leafs made the second round only twice in his nine seasons. In Games 5, 6 and 7 from 2017 through 2025, he scored just once and added 10 assists in 26 contests.
There was, however, plenty of blame to be shared as the Leafs managed only two victories in 11 series in the Matthews-Marner era. Toronto lost all six of its Game 7s in that stretch, but also fell to the eventual Cup winner or runner-up five times.
Marner's last contract 鈥� a pact negotiated under the watch of former Leafs president Brendan Shanahan and general manager Kyle Dubas 鈥� included that full no-movement clause over its final two seasons.
It's believed Toronto, which will continue to search for a top-6 forward via trade with little available in free agency, attempted to deal Marner to Carolina for fellow star forward Mikko Rantanen ahead of the March 2025 trade deadline, but he blocked the move.
"We approached Mitch to engage him on a contract," said Treliving, who declined to say if the Leafs offered more than Vegas. "Mitch and his representative wanted to wait until the year was done. As it became clearer and clearer to us that potential may not be there, we tried to look at alternatives."
Asked point-blank if he wished to stay with the Leafs following May's second-round playoff exit when Toronto fell in seven games to the Florida Panthers 鈥� a group that would go on to hoist its second straight Stanley Cup 鈥� it was what Marner didn't say that spoke volumes.
"I've always loved my time here, I've loved being here," he said at the time. "I've been so grateful."
Marner's bags now packed, Sin City awaits.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 1, 2025.
Joshua Clipperton, The Canadian Press
