Golden Knights star Mitch Marner reportedly has one less worry upon return to face Auston Matthews’ Maple Leafs in Toronto

It’s a date circled in red for both the Vegas Golden Knights and Toronto Maple Leafs. Mitch Marner will make his return to his hometown, to take on Auston Matthews and company for the first time since the blockbuster trade of the 2025 NHL offseason.

Nobody will want to miss Marner’s first game back in The Six after the trade to Sin City. When the Maple Leafs host the Golden Knights on January 23, 2026, the NHL’s spotlight will be focused solely on the ice at Scotiabank Arena.

The atmosphere will be electric. The former fourth overall pick of the 2015 NHL Entry Draft will walk out of the away tunnel for the first time in his career, and the jam-packed barn will surely react with disapproval. Nobody liked how the story ended between Marner and the Leafs — not Marner, not the Leafs. Only the Golden Knights did, and for good reason.

Now, the date is set for the first meeting between Matthews and Marner — but this time, on opposite ends of the ice. The longtime duo in Hogtown is set for a full-circle moment. For Marner, the nerves won’t be limited to the action on the ice, as the buildup to the showdown will be filled with drama and questions about his former team. However, perhaps fortunately for Marner, reports indicate the former Leaf will have one key concern off his mind.

Auston Matthews, center for the Toronto Maple Leafs

Off the hook

“Mitch Marner returns to Toronto on Friday January 23 with the Vegas Golden Knights,” NHL’s Toronto correspondent Dave McCarthy said on X. “Vegas plays in Boston the night prior on January 22 so there will be no morning availability in Toronto with Marner and potentially no availability at all.“

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As reported, media pressure was one of the main reasons Marner wanted out of Toronto in the first place. Now, as he gears up for his return to the city — with the added twist of being an opponent — the 28-year-old won’t have to worry about what the media might throw at him.

What could’ve been…

It’s no worth crying over spilled milk, and there’s roughly any spilled milk for Marner, who is set to make a total salary of $15M next season. Still, he might wonder what could’ve been if he had become an unrestricted free agent and signed for a different NHL team.

Especially after reports hinted that the Carolina Hurricanes were considering handing Marner an even bigger paycheck had he moved to Raleigh.

“I don’t know what the number would’ve been for the Carolina Hurricanes, but it would’ve been bigger than 12×8. I’m sure of that,” insider Chris Johnston stated, per @NHL_Watcher on X.