Mitch Marner was set to become the hottest free agent to hit the market on July 1, 2025, but the former Toronto Maple Leafs forward was moved one day earlier to the Vegas Golden Knights as part of a sign-and-trade.
Marner’s agent, Darren Ferris, has made it clear that he prefers to take his clients to free agency, confirming as much while speaking on the 100% Hockey podcast with hosts Darren Millard and John Shannon.
“I wanted that to go to free agency and do the whole dog and pony show, but he didn't want to do it,” Ferris explained. “I was all set to do it, but we did end up getting a result that he's happy with”.
By agreeing to a sign-and-trade, Marner was able to get an eight-year contract with his new team that pays him an average annual value of $12 million per season. The Leafs were able to acquire forward Nicolas Roy in the arrangement, ensuring they didn’t lose Marner for nothing, even though their preference would have been to keep the skilled forward who led the Leafs with 102 points last season.
Marner had previously heard from former Leafs teammates like Ryan Reaves and Max Pacioretty about the type of environment the Golden Knights would provide for a player who underwent scrutiny while playing for his hometown club for nine seasons. Once it was clear there was mutual interest between Marner and Vegas, Ferris wasn’t going to stand in his client’s way.
"He heard directly from other players about Vegas and how they treat the players and their families too. And once he knew that, his mind was made up at the end of the season,” Ferris explained. "From my perspective as an agent, I would have preferred him to go through the full process, sit down with multiple teams, and explore every option. But for him, it was clear he didn't want to go through that 'dog and pony show' or go to free agency when he already knew where he wanted to be. Safety for his family and being in the right environment mattered most. My job at that point was simply to support his decision and help him get there. At the end of the day, his focus is now entirely on what's ahead, and he believes Vegas is the right place for him. His energy is on helping that team win”.
Marner revealed to TSN’s Mark Masters that he needed security at his house for two weeks in days following Toronto’s 2025 second-round playoff exit against the Florida Panthers, which detailed some of his reasoning for moving on from Toronto.
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