Mitch Marner Officially Traded One Day Before Free Agency Opens

Mitch Marner's time in the blue and white has come to an end, as he was traded to the Vegas Golden Knights on Monday.

The news was broken by both Elliotte Friedman and Darren Dreger on X.

It ends Marner's nine-year stint with the Maple Leafs, where he amassed 741 points in 657 games, and is one of the greatest players in team history, and sits among the record books as one of the most talented to ever come through the system.

He signs an eight-year extension with Vegas ($12-million AAV) and it certainly throws a wrench into the entire free agent market, given that he was undoubtedly the biggest fish in the pond. However, it will also potentially spark a flurry of big signings that happen quickly come Tuesday.

NHL Insider Frank Seravalli adds that the framework is in place for the deal (8x12, $96M total) and it's pending league approval which will then allow Vegas to send back whatever pieces they are parting with to get Marner's rights.

It's been speculated the most likely name being sent the over way is Vegas' Nicolas Roy.

Roy comes over after being a solid piece for Vegas since coming over in the Erik Haula trade; and he put up 166 points in 362 games for the Golden Knights, and is a solid playmaker who wasn't able to really break out.

He's owed only $3-million over the next two seasons, and that gives the Maple Leafs more than enough room to make a splash for a player like Aaron Ekblad, Brad Marchand or even a Brock Boeser.

According to NHL Insider Bob McKenzie, although a trade call has not been finalized, the package will indeed be one for one, Marner for Roy.

No doubt Marner is going to be a superstar for the Golden Knights, a team that already boasts the likes of Jack Eichel and Mark Stone. They instantly go from solid contenders to potentially frontrunners to make the Finals (so long as Marner shows up in the postseason).

It's also a genuinely shocking contract extension given that months ago Marner was looking to get a higher contract than Mikko Rantanen, and potentially be the highest paid player in the league; yet he signed an identical deal.

It feels like Marner was simply tired of Toronto, but a silver lining is that at least Toronto is able to get some assets back.

This is a rapidly developing story, stay tuned for more details.