William Nylander shuts down wild Mitch Marner rumor surrounding Maple Leafs exit

William Nylander spoke about Mitch Marner’s exit from the Toronto Maple Leafs. Marner was traded to the Vegas Golden Knights in an 8-year $96 million deal near the free agency deadline. Toronto received forward Nicolas Roy in return.

Nylander addressed the rumors about Mitch Marner potentially seeking a trade out of Toronto before the trade deadline. Speaking on Friday with NHL.com at the League's Player Media Tour in Europe, the right winger said Marner was always focused on Toronto during the season.

“Not sure where that stuff comes from, but I don’t think he was ever thinking of leaving ahead of time," Nylander said about Marner.

Back then, the rumors even reached William Nylander, who had asked Mitch Marner about the reality behind it.

"I actually asked him during the season, and he said he was concentrating on Toronto," Nylander said. "...his play was focused on helping us."

However, when Nylander asked Marner about his plans following the playoff exit, he was not sure about staying in Toronto. Since then, the team and fans were disappointed with another early playoff exit. It was a time when media pressure in the city was at an all-time high.

"Then I asked him (Marner) after the season, and he wasn’t sure," Nylander mentioned. "It’s tough seeing him go, but I’m so happy for him and his family. He got to pick where he went... I’m happy for him."

Mitch Marner was a big part of the Leafs' offense, playing on the top line with captain Auston Matthews and forward Matthew Knies on most nights. Nylander said that the team will miss Marner on and off the ice.

"We’re going to miss him a lot, but that’s just the business of the sport," Nylander said. "That’s the way it is. So we’ve got to regroup as a team and figure out a way to keep winning games.”

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Mitch Marner's response to Vegas trade from Leafs

In July, following his trade, Mitch Marner opined that the Las Vegas Knights were a team he wanted to join. He explained that he and his wife felt comfortable with the choice.

"My agent called... (that) something might be going down with Vegas and Toronto, and how that might feel with my wife and I," Marner said, via NHL.com. "This was a spot very high on my list, we wanted to come here, and I went back to my agent said I’m open to doing this."

The Golden Knights won the Stanley Cup in 2023. Marner, who scored 102 points last season with Toronto, said he hopes to help Vegas compete for another championship.

"You want to be in a place where you want to win," Marner said about Vegas. “...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 in another piece (Stanley Cup),"

The Maple Leafs will now have to adjust without one of their top players in the 2025 season.