Matthew Knies gets honest about ex-Leafs teammate Mitch Marner's trade to Golden Knights

Matthew Knies spoke about Mitch Marner’s trade to the Vegas Golden Knights. In Toronto, Marner played with Knies and captain Auston Matthews on the top line. Now, his departure has left a void in the Leafs' lineup.

Knies told The Athletic it feels strange to see Marner leave Toronto, and in a jersey that's not blue and white.

"It feels really weird, to be honest,” Knies said. "It’s hard to picture him in a different jersey ... It was once I realized that at this level it’s more of a business and you’ve got to do what’s best for yourself and your family. I hope he did that."

Knies also said Marner meant a lot to the team and to him personally, and his exit still feels awkward to think about.

"I hope he enjoys himself and still has a lot of success because I think he meant a lot to our team and obviously (to) me," Knies said. "It just feels awkward."

Auston Matthews shared similar feelings earlier in August. At a charity event in Brampton, Matthews said he would miss Marner as a friend and teammate.

"We'll obviously miss him," Matthews said. (via TSN) "He's a great friend , a great teammate. That's kind of the business side of it, that's tough. Wish him nothing but the best. We'll just keep it moving."

Mitch Marner was traded to Vegas after signing an eight-year, $96 million contract. Marner said he wanted to join a team focused on winning the Stanley Cup.

"You want to be in a place where you want to win," Marner said, via NHL.com. "You want to hoist that Stanley Cup, and this team has shown that they can do it. I’m lucky enough to now hopefully ...bring it back here."

Vegas won the 2023 Stanley Cup Final by defeating the Florida Panthers. Now, they are looking for another Cup with Marner in their forward group.

Analyst backs Max Domi replacing Mitch Marner's spot

Earlier in August, TSN analyst Mark Masters said Max Domi could replace Mitch Marner on Auston Matthews’ line. He noted Domi filled in for Marner once last season and has some chemistry with Matthews.

"Domi did not have a great season last year," Masters said. "but I like the idea of engaging him right away and saying, 'Hey, big opportunity, let's hit the ground running here.'"

While other players are options, Masters believes Domi should get the first chance to start. Last season, Marner scored a career-high 102 points, leading the Leafs.