The Vegas golden knights have once again sent shockwaves through the NHL landscape, reportedly securing one of hockey’s biggest stars in a dramatic move just ahead of free agency. Multiple reports on Monday indicate the Golden Knights are set to acquire dynamic forward Mitch Marner from the Toronto Maple Leafs via a high-profile sign-and-trade agreement.
This blockbuster maneuver ensures the Golden Knights land a premier talent before he could even hit the open market. Sources confirm that Marner, the 28-year-old right winger, will first sign a substantial eight-year contract extension worth $96 million with the Maple Leafs before being immediately traded to Las Vegas. This specific sign-and-trade structure was pivotal, allowing Marner to ink an eight-year deal, which is one year longer than the maximum seven-year term permitted for players signing directly as unrestricted free agents.
Marner’s Record-Breaking Vegas Contract
Mitch Marner’s new contract carries a significant $12 million average annual value (AAV). This figure is tied for the fifth-highest cap hit across the entire NHL next season. For the Golden Knights, it represents a new franchise record, surpassing the eight-year, $80 million contract the team took on when trading for center Jack Eichel in November 2021. Eichel, also 28, is reportedly eligible for his own contract extension starting Tuesday. Acquiring a player of Marner’s caliber on such a deal underscores Vegas’s consistent strategy of aggressively pursuing elite talent to build a championship-contending roster.
The Pieces Headed to Toronto
In exchange for the highly-touted Marner, multiple reports suggest the Golden Knights are sending center Nicolas Roy to the Toronto Maple Leafs. Roy, 28, currently has two years remaining on his contract, carrying a $3 million annual cap hit. Roy has been a valuable player for Vegas since being acquired from the Carolina Hurricanes in June 2019 for center Erik Haula. He played 362 games with the Knights, tallying 166 points, and served as a reliable fourth-line center during the team’s run to the Stanley Cup in 2023. His departure creates immediate cap space and provides Toronto with a solid depth piece.
Navigating the Salary Cap Landscape
Executing a trade of this magnitude requires significant financial maneuvering, and the Golden Knights made concurrent moves to create the necessary salary cap flexibility. Earlier on Monday, defenseman Alex Pietrangelo, 35, announced he was stepping away from hockey due to a severe hip injury. In a team statement, Pietrangelo indicated he was in a “difficult position” with his health and that doctors advised him to step away, stating the “likelihood is low” his body would recover enough to play again, though he did not formally retire.
Pietrangelo had two years left on his contract with an $8.8 million cap hit. By placing him on long-term injured reserve (LTIR) and trading Nicolas Roy ($3 million cap hit), the Golden Knights effectively cleared approximately $11.8 million in cap space. This figure aligns almost perfectly with Marner’s $12 million AAV, demonstrating how Pietrangelo’s unfortunate injury situation directly enabled the acquisition of Marner from a cap perspective.
Marner: An Elite Two-Way Talent
Mitch Marner arrives in Las Vegas recognized as one of the NHL’s premier two-way forwards. Drafted fourth overall in the 2015 NHL Entry Draft, he spent his entire career with his hometown Maple Leafs, accumulating 741 points in 657 games. Marner has consistently earned votes for the Selke Trophy, awarded to the league’s best defensive forward, over the last seven years.
Beyond his defensive capabilities, Marner is an offensive force. He recorded a career-high 102 points in the previous season and has surpassed the 90-point threshold four different times. Marner now joins fellow 2015 first-round picks Jack Eichel (#2 overall) and defenseman Noah Hanifin (#5 overall) on the Golden Knights roster, solidifying a core built around high-end draft talent. His arrival continues a trend for Vegas, adding another marquee name alongside previous acquisitions like Eichel, Pietrangelo, captain Mark Stone, and center Tomas Hertl.
The End of an Era in Toronto
Marner’s move to Vegas marks a significant turning point for both the player and the Toronto Maple Leafs. A native of Markham, Ontario, Marner’s nine seasons in Toronto were characterized by moments of brilliance alongside significant playoff disappointments. While achieving exceptional regular-season success playing alongside Auston Matthews, William Nylander, and John Tavares – including becoming the fastest Leaf to reach 600 points – his playoff performance became a focal point of criticism in Toronto’s intense media market.
Despite 63 points in 70 playoff games, the Maple Leafs only advanced past the first round twice during his tenure. His inability to elevate his game in crucial elimination games drew particularly harsh scrutiny from the perennially antsy fanbase, reportedly culminating in him being booed by the home crowd during the team’s 2025 playoff exit. Marner’s previous contract included a full no-movement clause (NMC) that activated in July 2024, limiting the Leafs’ ability to trade him. Reports indicated he previously blocked a potential trade to Carolina and had not engaged in extension talks with GM Brad Treliving, setting the stage for this eventual departure via the facilitated sign-and-trade.
Further Roster Reshaping: The Hague Trade
The acquisition of Marner wasn’t the only significant roster move for the Golden Knights on Monday. The team also traded defenseman Nic Hague to the Nashville Predators. Hague, a restricted free agent, signed a four-year, $22 million contract ($5.5M AAV) immediately upon his rights being transferred to Nashville.
Hague was part of the Golden Knights’ original draft class in 2017 and played 364 games for the organization, recording 83 points. He was a key member of the third defensive pair during the 2023 Stanley Cup championship run. In return for Hague, Vegas acquired center Colton Sissons and defenseman Jeremy Lauzon. The Predators are retaining half of Sissons’ $2.857 million cap hit, while Vegas takes on Lauzon’s full $2 million cap hit. Both Sissons and Lauzon are entering the final year of their respective contracts and are expected to help fill the depth roles previously held by Nicolas Roy and Nic Hague. The Golden Knights also sent a conditional 2027 third-round pick to Nashville as part of the deal.
Golden Knights Roster and Cap Outlook
Following the flurry of moves – the Marner acquisition, the Roy trade, the Hague trade, and assuming Pietrangelo is placed on LTIR – the Golden Knights project to have approximately $1.986 million in remaining cap space. The current roster slate includes 12 forwards, seven defensemen, and two goaltenders under contract.
The team still holds the rights to five restricted free agents whom they have given qualifying offers: center Cole Schwindt, left wing Jonas Rondbjerg, defenseman Lukas Cormier, and right wings Alexander Holtz and Raphael Lavoie. Three players are set to become unrestricted free agents on Tuesday and are expected to explore opportunities on the open market: goaltender Ilya Samsonov and left wings Tanner Pearson and Victor Olofsson.
The Golden Knights’ draft activity earlier in the weekend was relatively quiet, lacking a first-round pick due to previous trades for Tomas Hertl and Noah Hanifin. However, these major transactions on the eve of free agency demonstrate the team’s ongoing commitment to aggressive roster management and competing for the Stanley Cup, significantly reshaping the lineup heading into the new season.
Frequently Asked Questions
What exactly is a sign-and-trade deal in the NHL?
A sign-and-trade is a transaction where a player who is set to become an unrestricted free agent signs a contract extension with their current team and is then immediately traded to another team. This mechanism is typically used when a player wants to sign for the maximum eight-year term, which is only possible when extending with your current club. Had Mitch Marner waited to become a UFA and signed directly with the Golden Knights, the maximum term allowed would have been seven years.
How did the Golden Knights make room for Mitch Marner’s $12 million salary cap hit?
The Golden Knights created the necessary cap space primarily through two related moves. First, placing defenseman Alex Pietrangelo on long-term injured reserve (LTIR) following his announcement that he is stepping away due to a severe hip injury freed up his $8.8 million cap hit. Second, trading center Nicolas Roy to the Maple Leafs removed his $3 million cap hit from the team’s books. Combined, these moves generated $11.8 million in cap flexibility, almost exactly the cost of Marner’s new $12 million AAV contract.
What other significant roster changes have the Golden Knights made recently besides acquiring Marner?
In addition to acquiring Mitch Marner and trading Nicolas Roy, the Golden Knights also recently traded defenseman Nic Hague to the Nashville Predators. In return for Hague, Vegas received center Colton Sissons and defenseman Jeremy Lauzon. These moves, coupled with the cap space created by Alex Pietrangelo’s injury status, are part of a broader strategy by the Golden Knights to reshape their roster and maintain salary cap compliance while adding key talent.
The Golden Knights’ latest moves underscore their reputation as one of the league’s most proactive and aggressive organizations. By acquiring a player of Marner’s caliber and navigating complex salary cap challenges through strategic transactions involving key players like Roy, Hague, and addressing the impact of Pietrangelo’s injury, Vegas has significantly altered their look ahead of the new season. These dramatic changes signal the team’s clear intent to remain firmly in Stanley Cup contention.
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