Sources Suggest Possible Trade to Vegas for Maple Leafs’ Mitch Marner.
The Toronto Maple Leafs may have found a suitable trade partner if they decide to move Mitch Marner ahead of the 2024-25 season. According to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman, the Vegas Golden Knights have emerged as a potential destination for the 27-year-old star.
During an appearance on The Leaf’s Nation podcast, Friedman shared insights from his sources, mentioning that Vegas might be eyeing Marner. “I had people who said to me, for example, one of the things with Marner is that a lot of people suspect that Vegas will be around him because Vegas is smart—they’re around any good player. So I got people hypothesizing Shea Theodore and Logan Thompson deals to me,” Friedman stated.
Potential Trade Package
Friedman noted that the Golden Knights could be interested in building a trade package around defenseman Shea Theodore and goaltender Logan Thompson. This speculation stems from Vegas’s history of pursuing high-profile players. However, Friedman clarified that no formal trade package has been presented to the Maple Leafs as of his report.
Mitch Marner: A Top Forward on the Market
Since his debut in the 2016-17 NHL season, Mitch Marner has been a pivotal player for the Maple Leafs. If made available, he could become the top forward on the trade market. Over 576 games, Marner has scored 194 goals and provided 445 assists, totaling 639 points. In the 2024 regular season, he tallied 26 goals and 59 assists for 85 points in 69 games. However, his playoff performance saw only 1 goal and 2 assists in seven games, as the Leafs were eliminated in the first round by the Boston Bruins.
Uncertain Future in Toronto
Marner is entering the final season of his six-year, $65.4 million contract, and his future with the Maple Leafs remains uncertain. The team’s management has expressed a willingness to consider all trade options to improve playoff competitiveness, following their early exits in seven of the last eight seasons.
During the end-of-season media availability in May, GM Brad Treliving emphasized the need to evaluate all options. “Everything must be on the table,” Treliving said. “Everything needs to be looked at. Everything needs to be considered.”
Trade Conversations and Marner’s No-Movement Clause
Steve Simmons of the Toronto Sun reported that the Leafs have made everyone available for trade discussions, except for Auston Matthews and William Nylander. “The Leafs have basically let it be known in the hockey world they are in trade mode. Just about anyone and everyone is for sale except for Auston Matthews and William Nylander,” Simmons noted.
Marner’s no-movement clause, however, grants him control over his next career move, allowing him to block any trade the Leafs agree to. Simmons added, “The Leafs won’t put the cart before the horse here. They will listen. If one of the offers meets their needs, then—and only then—will they involve Marner in the process and try to convince him why it’s in his best interest to look elsewhere.”
GM Brad Treliving Issues Caution on Trade Rumors
Addressing ongoing speculation, GM Brad Treliving urged caution regarding rumors about Marner. Speaking to media members at the NHL combine, Treliving stated, “The thing I would say is, be very, very careful of what you read out there. Mitch is a hell of a player. He’s going into the last year of his contract. We’re not going to comment on any players. Any business that we conduct, we’ll do that between Darren Ferris and us. We’re not going to do play-by-play on it.”
Despite the speculation, Treliving reaffirmed the franchise’s commitment to exploring all avenues to improve during the offseason. “We’ve got to look at every possible way for our team to be better. Mitch controls a lot of this whole thing. If there’s a way to make our team better, we’re going to do it. But we’re certainly not going to make a trade just so we can pound our chest and say, ‘Look, we’re different.’”
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