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Golden Knights Have Secret Playoff Sauce Marner Missed with Leafs

Originally posted on NHL Trade Talk | Last updated Aug 19, 2025 11:40 AM ET

When the Vegas Golden Knights landed Mitch Marner in free agency, it instantly became one of the NHL’s biggest summer stories. Effectively run out of Toronto and ready to leave his childhood dream of being a Maple Leafs behind, Marner took his talents to Vegas, joining up with Jack Eichel, who faced somewhat of a similar story in Buffalo (less the childhood dream part).

Fans in Vegas are now buzzing about what will be and Leafs Nation is crossing their fingers that the players they brought in to replace Marner’s production will be enough.

The one thing that isn’t known, is how Marner — whose playoff performances are heavily to blame for the fans in Toronto turning on him — will fare in the playoffs with the Golden Knights.

Can Marner Become a Playoff Ace Alongside Eichel?

On paper, the fit looks both ideal and ironic. One might ask, why would Marner suddenly be better with Eichel, if he could find chemistry with Auston Matthews? After all, Marner’s elite playmaking, creativity, and two-way presence should have been a perfect fit with Matthews. It wasn’t. So why would he complement Eichel’s well-rounded game any better?

The difference is arguably how good Eichel has been in the postseason. As Shayna Goldman of The Athletic writes, just two years ago, Eichel’s playoff pedigree was under scrutiny because he hadn’t played post-season games as part of the Sabres organization. The narrative that he might not be able to step up his game flipped quickly when he joined Vegas. With high expectations but far less pressure, Eichel thrived in his first playoff run. He was in the Conn Smythe conversation as the Golden Knights won the Stanley Cup.

Matthews has never come anywhere close to giving Toronto the same kind of production when it matters.

As such, in Vegas, Marner’s arrival could help balance the forward group and Eichel’s brillance in the playoffs could rub off.

Can Marner Do For Vegas What He Couldn’t For Toronto?

Marner’s challenge is different but familiar. His regular-season dominance hasn’t carried over when it matters most. And that doesn’t work in Toronto, where expectations and scrutiny are relentless. In Vegas, he won’t carry the same spotlight. The Golden Knights are proven winners, with Eichel and others capable of shouldering pressure. That could give Marner the breathing room he needs to elevate his postseason game.

If the chemistry clicks, Vegas may have unlocked the missing ingredient: a superstar winger poised to finally become a playoff force. The question is no longer if Marner can produce in the postseason, but whether Eichel’s presence can help him do it when it matters most.

This article first appeared on NHL Trade Talk and was syndicated with permission.

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