The Toronto Maple Leafs’ core continues to change, and with it, the dynamics among its star players. This week, long-time winger Mitch Marner was officially traded to the Vegas Golden Knights, ending a nine-season tenure with his hometown team. The move, while not unexpected given the offseason speculation, still resonated deeply within the franchise—and one of the first to acknowledge it was Auston Matthews.
Together, Matthews and Marner represented the face of the Maple Leafs’ modern era. Drafted just one year apart, they broke into the NHL in the same 2016-17 season and quickly built chemistry as both teammates and close friends off the ice. With Marner now moving on, Matthews offered a brief but heartfelt message that captured the emotion behind the transaction.
Shortly after the trade was made official, the Maple Leafs’ official social media account posted a tribute to Marner that read: “For the nine years of magic you brought on and off the ice. Thank you, Mitchy!”
The post was widely shared by fans and teammates alike, but it was Auston Matthews’ repost to his Instagram Story—highlighting the words “Thank you”—that stood out. Though simple, the message was a meaningful nod from Toronto’s captain to the winger with whom he shared nearly a decade of highs and lows.
The exchange underscored just how significant Marner’s departure is for the group that had become known as the Leafs’ “Core Four,” which also included William Nylander and John Tavares.
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Marner: An inevitable goodbye
The trade itself, which sent Marner to Vegas in exchange for Nicolas Roy, came just weeks after the Leafs were eliminated in the playoffs by the Florida Panthers. Marner’s contract had expired, and with free agency looming and cap space in play, change was unavoidable.
In the days following that elimination, Matthews had already expressed how difficult it would be to potentially lose his linemate and friend. “Yeah, it’s tough. I mean, he’s a brother. He’s such a good teammate, friend,” Matthews said at the time, according to TSN.
He added: “We’re extremely close… Unfortunately, that’s kind of the nature of the business. People come and go… Obviously, we all love him very much and like I said, he’s an amazing person and an amazing teammate.”
The end of a shared era in Toronto
Marner leaves Toronto having played 657 regular-season games, notching 221 goals and 520 assists for a total of 741 points. Despite regular-season success, the Maple Leafs repeatedly failed to break through the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs during his tenure. The trade to Vegas includes a contract extension reportedly worth $12 million AAV, suggesting both a fresh start and a new challenge for the 27-year-old.
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Meanwhile, Matthews remains the centerpiece of a restructured Maple Leafs roster under GM Brad Treliving, who has already made several offseason moves aimed at reshaping the team’s direction.
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Not only Mitch Marner: Auston Matthews’ Maple Leafs lose veteran player to Kraken in free agency
