Mitch Marner issued an emotional farewell to Toronto on Tuesday, the same day his hometown Maple Leafs officially confirmed he had been traded to the Vegas Golden Knights.
“Leaving isn’t easy. This city is where I grew up, where I fell in love with hockey, and where I’ve had the incredible honour of living out my childhood dream,” he wrote in an Instagram post. “Wearing the Maple Leaf on my chest wasn’t just about playing for a team, it was about representing my home.”
The Maple Leafs acquired forward Nicolas Roy in exchange for Marner, who signed an eight-year, $96 million contract with Toronto as part of the trade before heading to Vegas.
Mitch Marner on Maple Leafs exit: ‘Leaving isn’t easy’