The Vegas Golden Knights are discussing a trade to acquire the rights of pending unrestricted free agent Mitch Marner from the Toronto Maple Leafs, according to league sources, which would allow them to sign the All-Star winger before he hits the open market on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
If they pull off a sign-and-trade with the Maple Leafs, the Golden Knights can get Marner secured to a maximum-length eight-year contract. If they wait until Tuesday, when free agency opens, the longest term they could give him will be seven years.<\/p>\n
TSN\u2019s Darren Dreger was the first to report the potential move.<\/p>\n
Marner is one of Toronto\u2019s most accomplished players, sitting fifth on the all-time scoring list with 741 points at age 28. He was drafted No. 4 by his hometown team in 2015 and became an immediate fan favorite because of his creativity and elite playmaking ability.<\/p>\n
However, Marner also drew sharp criticism for the team\u2019s inability to get over the hump in the playoffs and started to chafe under that scrutiny.<\/p>\n
It became clear he could be eyeing a departure in free agency when he refused to engage in discussions on a contract extension with the Leafs throughout last season. He also refused to waive his no-movement clause at the March 7 trade deadline for a deal that would have sent him to the Carolina Hurricanes.<\/p>\n