Mitch Marner Makes Career Decision After Golden Knights-Maple Leafs Trade

All signs pointed to Mitch Marner leaving the Toronto Maple Leafs this summer as his six-year contract, worth an annual average value (AAV) of $10.9 million, was set to expire.

The Core Four — consisting of him, Auston Matthews, William Nylander and John Tavares — just couldn’t take that next step in the playoffs, and changes were needed in Toronto.

On Tuesday, things became official, and Marner became a member of the Vegas Golden Knights. The 28-year-old signed an eight-year, $96 million contract extension with the Maple Leafs before being traded to the Golden Knights.

Shortly after, Marner took to Instagram to thank the Leafs for everything during his nine seasons with the organization that drafted him fourth overall in 2015.

"I'll always be grateful for my time here, and most of all, I'm so proud to have been a Maple Leaf," Marner wrote.

But that wasn’t all he did. It didn’t take long for the Ontario native to choose the jersey number he’ll wear in Vegas. Marner decided to bring back his old No. 93, which he wore during his time with the London Knights in junior hockey.

The 6-foot winger wore No. 16 throughout his entire time with Toronto and will become the first player in Golden Knights franchise history to wear No. 93.