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The Toronto Maple Leafs and the Vegas Golden Knights got the NHL offseason started with a bang a day early, agreeing to a blockbuster trade to send star forward Mitch Marner to Vegas. The deal came a day before Marner was set to hit free agency, and he got a brand new contract extension as a part of the deal.
Marner will make $12 million annually over the next eight years as a part of his new contract, a total of $96 million over the life of the deal.
The 28-year old has spent all nine of his NHL seasons to this point as a member of the Maple Leafs, so naturally he has built a special bond with the city and the organization. After the deal was finalized, he wrote a lengthy letter to Toronto before his departure.
Mitch Marner says goodbye to Toronto on IG. He says all he wanted to do was bring a Stanley Cup to his hometown: "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." pic.twitter.com/6vhE5BPKSY
— Chris Johnston (@reporterchris) July 1, 2025
“To the fans: thank you. Playing in Toronto is special because of you,” The second half of the letter read. “Over the last nine seasons, I have felt it all: the passion, the pride, the hope, the pressure, and the support. You care deeply, and I never took that for granted.
“To my teammates, coaches, trainers, the equipment and medical staff, team services, PR staff, and everyone behind the scenes who keep things running, thank you. I'm grateful for every conversation, every moment of support, and every bit of belief you showed me along the way.
“As I prepare for what comes next, I leave a different person than I was at 18. I'll always be grateful for my time here, and most of all, I'm so proud to have been a Toronto Maple Leaf.”
Marner was one of the most productive forwards in hockey over the last four seasons, scoring at least 97 points in three of them. In 2024-25, he played in 81 games and recorded a career-high 102 points, so Vegas is getting one of the top offensive players in hockey.
The Canadian has taken some heat during his time with the Maple Leafs for his lackluster performances in the playoffs, where Toronto has failed to meet expectations as a team for the most part. He will certainly have plenty of chances to silence those doubters on a very talented Golden Knights squad in the coming years.
