The Toronto Maple Leafs and Vegas Golden Knights could partner on a massive sign-and-trade deal involving Mitch Marner.
Notable insider Elliotte Friedman dropped a bombshell alert on Saturday during Day 2 of the 2025 NHL Draft. In an X post, Friedman stated that the Maple Leafs and Golden Knights were discussing the possibility of a trade involving Mitch Marner:
“Something to keep an eye: on-and-off this week, Toronto and Vegas have been discussing the possibility of a sign-and-trade involving Mitch Marner.”
Friedman added:
“Likelihood of it happening: hard to say. But talks have occurred and continue to do so.”
When the news broke, it seemed like a deal was imminent. The Detroit Red Wings had just traded for John Gibson from the Anaheim Ducks. As such, the environment seemed primed for a major announcement.
Yet, the Draft came and went without news on a Mitch Marner trade. It’s worth pointing out that Friedman did underscore that the likelihood of the trade happening is uncertain. But if an insider like Friedman is running with the story, it means there’s something to it.
Maple Leafs to Get RFA Blue Liner Nic Roy
Friedman followed up his original X post with a brief update on the expected return for the Toronto Maple Leafs.
The return involved RFA blue liner Nicolas Roy. The prevailing wisdom has been that the Golden Knights have been looking to pass on re-signing Roy amid salary cap constraints.
Another notable insider, David Pagnotta of the Fourth Period, followed up on Friedman’s X post by indicating that talks between Toronto and Vegas had been ongoing all week.
Pagnotta took things one step further, hinting that Marner could sign a four-year deal worth $12 AAV.
If true, the deal could be substantially lower than what was believed Marner had asked Toronto for. If most rumblings are to be believed, Marner had purportedly asked for $14 million AAV, putting him on par with the contract Edmonton Oilers star Leon Draisaitl signed earlier this past season.
Why a Sign-and-Trade Makes Sense for Vegas and Toronto
A sign-and-trade deal may seem odd, especially when Marner is set to become a UFA. The reality is that the deal makes sense for both sides.
For Toronto, it allows the team to recoup a valuable asset. It offsets losing Marner for nothing. Plus, the optics of trading Marner give Maple Leafs’ GM Brad Treliving a claim that he made the best deal for the organization.
As for the Golden Knights, they truly want Marner, and Marner is eager about landing there. But the Knights have salary cap issues they need to navigate. A trade allows them to clear cap space without needing to turnover stones to find a willing trade partner.
The most curious aspect, if Pagnotta is to be believed, is that Marner won’t sign for the max, eight-year term on his deal with Vegas. Pagnotta’s claim is in line with rumors suggesting Marner wanted a short-term deal in order to hit free agency one more time during his prime years.
Fans should keep a close watch on this trade as the opening of free agency is a couple of days away. Both clubs and Mitch Marner will be eager to get something done before July 1. That way, all sides can move on to the next order of business this summer.
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