The Toronto Maple Leafs have just lost a consistent 90-100 point, two-way star winger, but have put themselves in a better position to contend for a long-sought championship during the next phase of the Auston Matthews-William Nylander era.
Marner penned a heartfelt goodbye message to the team's fans after the news became official that the hometown star winger had been sent to the Vegas Golden Knights as part of a sign-and-trade. Coming back to the Leafs is center Nicolas Roy.
On the surface, the departure of Marner, combined with the Maple Leafs' lack of signing a dynamic replacement during the opening of free agency, would seem to be a step back for the organization.
While it will take multiple players to help make up for Marner's production that is now missing from the lineup, and another Atlantic Division title will be more difficult, the Maple Leafs are in a better position to build around Matthews moving forward.
The return for Marner was underwhelming. Roy brings some size to the forward units, can fill the role of third-line center, and chip in offensively playing down in the lineup. He is nowhere near the player that Marner is, having scored 20 goals only once, with a career-high of only 33 points. He won't replace Marner, but he is a useful roster player.
Considering Marner's unrestricted status, getting something back is better than nothing. Whispers of tampering allegations against Vegas may have helped the deal come to fruition. Roy is signed for two more years at a reasonable cap hit ($3 million AAV).
Events over the past year between the Leafs and Marner made his exit a foregone conclusion. Marner took the brunt of criticism from the team's fans after Toronto's seven-game first-round loss to the Boston Bruins in the spring of 2024.
Then, the Leafs approached Marner about rescinding his no-movement clause at last season's NHL trade deadline while investigating the possibility of acquiring Mikko Rantanen.
Finally, two disheartening home ice losses by the Maple Leafs during a second-round series defeat to the Florida Panthers, to make it nine years without a sustained playoff run, made Marner's leaving imminent.