The Vegas Golden Knights have made their first big splash of the offseason, acquiring star winger Mitch Marner from the Toronto Maple Leafs in a sign-and-trade for center Nic Roy. Marner signed an eight-year, $96 million deal, the largest contract in Golden Knights history.
Since entering the league in 2017, the Golden Knights have built a reputation on aggressive win-now moves, swinging for big stars like Mark Stone, Alex Pietrangelo and Jack Eichel.
Mitch Marner is the latest marquee name to join that list, coming off a career high 102 point season in Toronto, where he scored the fifth-most points in the league.
But playoff struggles have followed him. He managed just five points in a seven-game series loss to the Florida Panthers, going silent in a 6-1 blowout to close the Maple Leafs’ season and his time there.
Still, Vegas knows how to revive a star. Eichel was cast off by the Buffalo Sabres before lifting the Stanley Cup in his second year with the team. The Knights are hoping lightning strikes twice with Marner.
