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NHL Analyst Rips Maple Leafs for 'Significant Malpractice' Handling Mitch Marner Situation

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Antonio Losada | Last updated Jul 16, 2025 6:22 AM ET

The Toronto Maple Leafs front office is under fire after the Mitch Marner sign-and-trade to the Vegas Golden Knights, on the verge of free agency.

Marner officially joined Vegas in late June through a deal that netted the Maple Leafs center Nicolas Roy in return.

Vegas promptly signed Marner to an eight-year, $96 million extension, locking in the star winger the moment he landed as part of the agreement with the Leafs.

NHL analyst Bryan Hayes appeared on TSN’s ‘OverDrive’, didn’t hold back addressing the Leafs' move, calling out the front office for what he called "significant malpractice" by the franchise's brass.

"If they (Shanahan and Treliving) knew that, then that is significant malpractice." - @HayesTSN on whether management knew all along that Marner was bound for Vegas.#LeafsForever pic.twitter.com/cOea4WsUMm
— OverDrive (@OverDrive1050) July 14, 2025

“I am curious," Hayes said. "I would love to get an answer on what Shanahan and Treliving knew this time last year.

“Did they know he was out? You’re hearing stories of ‘everyone knows, everyone knows he’s going to Vegas.’ If they knew that, then that is significant malpractice.”

Marner left Toronto having tallied 741 points in 657 games, but never helped the Maple Leafs advance past the second round in nine playoff runs with the team.

Hayes argued that Toronto should have dealt Marner last summer before his no-move clause fully kicked in. That window, Hayes suggested, would have allowed the Leafs to extract more value from a trade package than the single-player return they just received from Vegas.

“If you’re so unhappy, why don’t you go ask for a change?” Hayes said about Marner's forcing the Leafs' hand. “Why is it on the Leafs to force your way out?”

Marner, drafted with the No. 4 overall pick in 2015, leaves behind a legacy of elite regular-season production but postseason disappointment.

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

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