As day two of the 2025 NHL Draft unfolded, a major development surfaced involving the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Vegas Golden Knights. According to Sportsnet insider Elliotte Friedman, the two teams have been discussing a potential sign-and-trade deal centered around superstar forward Mitch Marner, who is set to hit free agency on July 1.
Although no formal agreement has been reached, tensions are rising behind the scenes. If Marner ends up signing directly with Vegas without a trade, the Maple Leafs are reportedly considering filing a tampering complaint against the Golden Knights.
“There’s been some talk that if Marner goes to Vegas, the Maple Leafs will go after Vegas for tampering,” Friedman said on his 32 Thoughts podcast. “I have no proof that Vegas is guilty of anything, but it’s a sensitive time. A couple of GMs told me the NHL is itching to make an example out of someone.”
While Friedman emphasized that no evidence of tampering currently exists, he noted that a formal trade between the two clubs would likely extinguish any potential allegations.
“If they make a deal with Toronto and send a good player or two back, I’m betting the chance of the Leafs filing for tampering goes away,” Friedman added.
The Golden Knights have made it clear they want to get ahead of the free agency frenzy and are reportedly working to clear salary cap space to accommodate Marner. A sign-and-trade deal would allow them to do just that while also giving Toronto a return for losing one of its core players.
“Getting to Marner faster, clearing cap space, giving Toronto something in return, and eliminating any possibility of a tampering investigation—those are all factors,” Friedman said. “We’ll see if this deal gets done.”
The NHL has previously stated its intention to enforce stricter rules around tampering, particularly during the lead-up to free agency. Officially, teams aren’t permitted to talk to or negotiate with free agents until a set time on July 1, but in practice, deals are often agreed to the moment the window opens.
Toronto is preparing for life without one of its franchise pillars, but if Vegas wants to avoid controversy—and a possible league investigation—they may need to find common ground with the Leafs before Marner officially hits the open market.
Stay tuned for updates as the Marner sweepstakes unfold and trade talks develop between Toronto and Vegas.
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