After a long saga with several curveballs and rumors, the Vegas Golden Knights have finally got their man, completing a sign-and-trade with the Toronto Maple Leafs, which will see Mitch Marner sign with the Golden Knights on an eight-year, $12-million AAV deal, and Nicolas Roy join the Maple Leafs.
Over the last couple of days, the Golden Knights and the Maple Leafs have been working hard to complete the sign-and-trade, which has opened up cap space for the Golden Knights, allowing them to sign Marner. The 28-year-old will play his first NHL games outside of Toronto after scoring 221 goals and 741 points in 657 career games.
His time with the Maple Leafs ends on a sour note, but the former fourth overall pick in the 2015 NHL Draft was once hailed as the next homegrown talent who could help lead the Maple Leafs to win a Stanley Cup alongside Auston Matthews and William Nylander. With several playoff failures and fans growing frustrated with playoff shortcomings from Marner, he's decided to venture out of his comfort zone.
Marner is one of the best pure playmakers in the NHL and will likely spend the next eight years next to Jack Eichel, who is now eligible for a contract extension. Eichel and Marner have career highs in goals of 36 and 35, both of which will likely increase once the pair benefits from each other's stellar playmaking.
Heading the other way in the deal is Roy, a versatile 28-year-old forward who has been everything the Golden Knights have needed in their bottom-six. Prior to joining the Golden Knights, Roy had played just seven NHL games, but he leaves the franchise with 362 games of experience. With the Golden Knights, the 6-foot-4 center scored 68 goals and 166 assists.
OFFICIAL: The Vegas Golden Knights have acquired Mitch Marner from the Toronto Maple Leafs in exchange for Nicolas Roy 🔄
— Vegas Golden Knights (@GoldenKnights) July 1, 2025
Details: https://t.co/R9Dl2l7ZBA#VegasBornpic.twitter.com/euh3G8Q9IN
With the Maple Leafs, Roy will be the third-line center they have been missing. Although he's a career 47.7-percent faceoff winner, the Maple Leafs have lacked a right-handed center, and he will fill that void nicely.
With two seasons left on a $3-million cap hit, Roy will provide the Maple Leafs with immense value and will be dearly missed in Vegas.
In all, the Golden Knights and general manager Kelly McCrimmon have once again been the most aggressive team in chasing the top fish to improve their team.
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Report: Golden Knights Acquire Mitch Marner From Maple Leafs In Eight-Year DealAfter nine years with the Maple Leafs, Marner is officially headed to Vegas.