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Golden Knighrs' Mitch Marner Reveals Strong Feelings About First-Ever Maple Leafs Matchup

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Antonio Losada | Last updated Sep 10, 2025 12:00 PM ET

Mitch Marner is preparing for what he called a “weird” return to Toronto, this time as a visitor with the Vegas Golden Knights after spending the first nine years of his career playing for the Toronto Maple Leafs.

The 28-year-old winger will skate at Scotiabank Arena on Jan. 23, 2026, for the first time since leaving the Maple Leafs in a blockbuster sign-and-trade on July 1.

In an interview with NHL.com's Mike Zeisberger at the NHL/NHLPA North American Player Media Tour, Marner opened up on what his return to Toronto will feel like.

“I know it will be weird walking into the visitors side for once,” Marner said. “So, yeah, we’ll see how it goes. I mean, when that moment comes, we’ll take it head-on and see what happens.”

Marner prepared to face Toronto homecoming 'head-on' with Golden Knights ⤵️https://t.co/XrIxbdUait
— NHL.com (@NHLdotcom) September 10, 2025

Mitch Marner Reflects on Toronto Years

Marner, who spent nearly a decade with the Maple Leafs after Toronto drafted him with the No. 4 overall pick in the 2015 NHL draft, acknowledged feeling mixed emotions amid his exit from the only franchise he has ever played for, but expressed gratitude for his time with his hometown team.

“It is what it is,” Marner said. “I still have a lot of appreciation and love for a lot of people there.”

The Markham native leaves Toronto as the fifth-leading scorer in franchise history with 741 points, as well as the fourth-most assists with 520.

Why Mitch Marner Chose Vegas as His Next Destination

After navigating some mid-season rumors of a potential move around the trade deadline, Marner's departure from Toronto finally came this offseason, when he signed an eight-year, $96 million contract with Vegas, making him the highest-paid player in franchise history.

“You want to be in a place where you want to win,” Marner said during his introductory press conference. “That’s the whole goal of why we do this, you want to hoist that Stanley Cup. This team has shown that they can do it.”

Asked how he hopes fans remember him, Marner gave a straightforward answer.

“Just a guy that tried, I guess, to help his hometown team accomplish great things,” Marner said. “I tried to wear that jersey with pride and honour every single time I could. Tried to give it everything I had. Unfortunately, we came up short.”

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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