Not long after the Vegas Golden Knights narrowly avoided tampering with the Toronto Maple Leafs‘ Mitch Marner, the two teams may be heading into another dramatic storyline. Deep into the NHL offseason, the Golden Knights and Maple Leafs could find themselves battling for a coveted blueliner.
It just feels like the Golden Knights and Maple Leafs are destined to be at each other’s throats in the NHL. While there wasn’t much bad blood between the two organizations, Marner’s saga might’ve opened up the door for a new rivalry. At least off the ice, as both sides only face each other twice every season.
Toronto has held a grudge against Vegas, mostly because of the Knights’ alleged tampering with Marner. As it turned out, however, the former hometown idol had made up his mind to leave The Six long before the team in Sin City completed a trade for him. If anything, the Leafs forced the Knights to engage in trade talks by threatening to file a tampering complaint with the NHL. To avoid such drama, the Golden Knights traded Nicholas Roy to the Maple Leafs.
At last, the crisis was seemingly averted. But tension could be rising again, especially with reports suggesting the two sides may cross paths in their pursuit of Pittsburgh Penguins star Erik Karlsson.
Erik Karlsson #65 of Team Sweden skates during the second period against Team Canada in the 2025 NHL 4 Nations Face-Off at the Bell Centre on February 12, 2025 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Team Canada defeated Team Sweden 4-3 in overtime.
Toronto-bound?
Needless to say, the Penguins are in no rush to move on from a talent like Karlsson. However, with Pittsburgh embarking into its years of rebuild, letting go of the blueliner’s hefty contract could do wonders for the Pens. Toronto is arguably the first destination any player is ever linked to, but it does make sense for the 35-year-old defenseman, who’s still chasing his first Stanley Cup.
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“The Maple Leafs have been on the hunt for a marquee offensive talent to lead their blue line for years,” per Sportsnet’s Sonny Sachdeva. “Karlsson is far from the elite game-breaker he was in his prime, but the glimpses he’s shown over the past few years suggest he can still be useful in the right situation, with the right group around him.“
Karlsson is not a winger — he’s not even a forward — but he’s shown he can produce like one. After Marner was traded away to Las Vegas, the Leafs are left staring at a big void in that department. Perhaps Karlsson can help aid it, even if it’s from the blueline.
Viva Las Vegas
However, running away with one of the best offensive-minded defenseman in NHL history won’t be an easy task for the Maple Leafs. The Golden Knights may have other plans. In fact, it’s becoming something of a tradition for Vegas to pull the rug out from under Toronto — a folklore the Leafs surely aren’t too thrilled about.
Mitchell Marner #16 of the Toronto Maple Leafs watches a flying puck in the warm-up prior to play against the Detroit Red Wings during the 2017 Scotiabank NHL Centennial Classic at BMO Field On January 1, 2017 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
“At this point, any conversation about a star on the move must begin with Vegas,” Sachdeva added. “The fit might not have made a ton of sense here a few months ago, but the recent news that Alex Pietrangelo’s career has likely come to an end moves Vegas into the conversation. Pittsburgh’s ability to retain salary, and Pietrangelo’s $8.8-million cap hit likely moving to LTIR, could help a deal come together.“
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Just a tiny detail
While both teams make strong cases to land the Penguins’ defenseman, the elephant in the room is hard to ignore. Karlsson’s eight-year, $92M contract carries an annual cap hit of $11.5M. That’s a figure neither team can fit under the cap as things stand. At least not without some help from Pittsburgh. According to reports, Vegas and Toronto shouldn’t hold their breath.
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“The Penguins aren’t going to retain half of Karlsson’s salary for anybody,” insider Chris Johnston commented on the Steve Dangle Podcast.
