Golden Knights' GM Kelly McCrimmon reveals the strategy behind signing Mitch Marner to 8-year, $96M deal

The Vegas Golden Knights pulled off a blockbuster trade on Monday, acquiring star forward Mitch Marner from the Toronto Maple Leafs in exchange for center Nicolas Roy in a sign-and-trade deal. Marner first signed an 8-year, $96 million contract extension with Toronto and then got traded to Vegas.

At a press conference on Tuesday, Golden Knights general manager Kelly McCrimmon explained the rationale behind the sign-and-trade deal. McCrimmon said:

"We wanted to do a sign and trade with Toronto so that we could get the 8th year on the contract. The only team that can give the player the eighth year is the team that he's on." (25:37 onwards)

Getting that extra year allowed Vegas to lower Marner's annual salary cap hit to $12 million. McCrimmon added:

"if it was a 7-year contract to get to $96 million, you've got an AAV of 13.7. That really impacts our ability to take the player onto our team."

The GM also emphasized that the Marner acquisition is about building a Stanley Cup contender. McCrimmon said:

"One of the things that's important for us with every signing that we make, with every decision that we make, it's about building a team that can win the Stanley Cup."

McCrimmon also added that the team didn’t want to risk reaching July 1 and entering a bidding war, where multiple teams could make presentations and an unexpected suitor might end up winning Marner over.

Mitch Marner's decision to join the Vegas Golden Knights

Mitch Marner cited Vegas’s winning culture as a major factor in his choice. Marner also connected with former Golden Knights Max Pacioretty and Ryan Reaves, who had glowing things to say about living in Vegas.

With a newborn at home, Marner felt the city offered the right balance for both his career and family life.

“Obviously the winning regimen they’ve put up through the last five years, really since they’ve been in the league," Marner said. "Got such a competitive team every year. Got such good players here.”

Marner felt fortunate that everything came together and that Vegas is where he wanted to be.