Report: Leafs, Golden Knights discussing Marner sign-and-trade
The Toronto Maple Leafs and the Vegas Golden Knights are having ongoing discussions about a sign-and-trade involving pending unrestricted free agent Mitch Marner, sources told TSN's Darren Dreger.
Center Nicolas Roy is expected to head from Vegas to Toronto if the deal gets done, according to Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman.
Marner is this year's top pending UFA. The crafty right-winger racked up a career-high 102 points in 2024-25 and finished seventh in Selke Trophy voting. He's firmly in the prime of his career at 28 years old.
A sign-and-trade would give the Golden Knights the ability to sign Marner to a maximum-length eight-year contract. They could only sign him for a maximum of seven years if they wait until he's a free agent July 1.
The Maple Leafs drafted the Thornhill, Ontario, native fourth overall in 2015. Marner's 741 points in 657 regular-season games are the fifth-most in franchise history, but he's taken heat for his inability to deliver in the postseason, managing 13 goals and 50 assists in 70 career playoff games. He's produced zero goals and two assists in seven career winner-take-all playoff contests.
The Maple Leafs have made the playoffs in each of the last nine years but haven't advanced beyond Round 2 and only have two series victories. Marner, Auston Matthews, William Nylander, and Morgan Rielly have been together for all nine years. John Tavares, who signed a four-year extension Friday, has been with Toronto for the last seven years.
In Vegas, Marner could team up to form a prolific duo with first-line center Jack Eichel. He could also anchor a second line centered by Tomas Hertl while captain Mark Stone - also a right-winger - stays next to Eichel.
The Golden Knights currently have $5.615 million in cap space. Marner is coming off a contract that paid him $10.9 million annually and is expected to receive a hefty raise.
Roy would give the Maple Leafs a much-needed third-line center option behind Matthews and Tavares. The 6-foot-4 pivot tallied 15 goals and 16 assists in 71 games last year and is signed for the next two seasons with a $3-million cap hit.
The 28-year-old was part of Vegas' 2023 Cup-winning team. He's notched 10 goals and 22 assists in 79 career playoff games.
The Maple Leafs and Golden Knights reportedly discussed a three-way trade before the 2025 deadline with the Carolina Hurricanes that would've sent Marner to Vegas and Mikko Rantanen to Toronto. However, the Golden Knights and Hurricanes couldn't find the right assets to complete the deal. The Maple Leafs also reportedly spoke with the Golden Knights last offseason about a Marner trade, but Toronto was rejected when it asked for defenseman Shea Theodore in return.