Ahead of the start of free agency, the Toronto Maple Leafs traded Mitch Marner to the Vegas Golden Knights. Marner will reportedly sign an eight-year deal worth $12 million per season, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reports.

Toronto will receive Nicolas Roy in exchange for Marner in a 1-for-1 trade, TSN’s Bob McKenzie reports. Roy recorded 15 goals and 31 points in 71 regular season games with the Golden Knights, before adding two goals and four points in 11 playoff games during the 2024-25 campaign. The 28-year carries two more years on his existing deal at a $3 million cap hit.

Marner’s contract will see the front end of the contract loaded with signing bonuses, and that number will decrease throughout the years as the base salary will climb. It also comes with a full no-move clause throughout the deal.

Marner was widely considered to be the best available free agent on this year’s market. The 28-year-old is coming off a career-best season where he recorded 27 goals and 102 points during the regular season for the Maple Leafs and was their best player, featuring in all situations.

The tenor of Marner’s season changed during the postseason, as he struggled through the second-round series against the Florida Panthers, and there was an air of finality during Marner’s end-of-year media availability.

Vegas was considered to be the front-runner to land Marner for weeks, with the Los Angeles Kings and Anaheim Ducks among the teams in the mix. The Athletic’s Pierre LeBrun reported that the Kings were on Marner’s short-list and that they were planning to fly to Toronto on July 2 to meet with Marner, his agent, Darren Ferris, and the rest of his camp.

Marner stated at the start of the 2024-25 camp that he’d let Ferris handle his negotiations, and refused to discuss his contract status further with reporters throughout the season. Toronto asked Marner to waive his no-trade clause in a potential trade with the Carolina Hurricanes, that would’ve sent Mikko Rantanen in return. Marner later told reporters he had a feeling the Leafs would ask him to waive his no-movement clause, but declined to speak about his contract in a substantive manner for the rest of the year.

The contract details still need to be finalized, but Marner signed an identical deal to Rantanen’s eight-year pact with the Dallas Stars. Marner and Rantanen were considered the two premier unrestricted free agents entering the 2024-25 season, before Rantanen was traded from the Colorado Avalanche to the Hurricanes, before being shipped again to the Stars.

Maple Leafs general manager Brad Treliving told reporters at his end-of-year media availability that he’s looking for some DNA to change, and Marner’s departure constitutes a major change in philosophy and tactics. Toronto signed Matthew Knies and John Tavares to team-friendly extensions, then acquired Matias Maccelli in a trade with the Utah Mammoth on Monday. This move officially ends the Marner saga, until he squares off against the Maple Leafs as a member of the Golden Knights.