The Toronto Maple Leafs knew parting ways with Mitch Marner would spark debate. However, what they didn’t expect was a stinging rebuke from a former NHL executive, who says the Leafs may have just made a fatal miscalculation in their quest to reset.
Ex-NHL Exec Warns Maple Leafs on Mishandling Marner Exit
Former Calgary Flames general manager and now TSN analyst Craig Button didn’t hold back in assessing Toronto’s decision to let Marner walk in a blockbuster sign-and-trade with the Vegas Golden Knights. The deal saw Marner sign an eight-year, $96 million contract before heading west, and Button believes Toronto’s loss goes beyond dollars.
“The dollars for Mitch Marner are not out of whack in any way, shape, or form. He’s a front-line player,” Button said on the latest TSN segment with Jay Onrait. “For the Vegas Golden Knights, that’s a big get.”
He questioned why the Leafs even entertained parting ways with the 28-year-old forward, who ranks fifth in franchise history in total points and led the team in playoff scoring over the past nine years.
“I don’t know why the Leafs wouldn’t wanna sign Mitch Marner,” Button continued. “You can look at the team and go, ‘Okay, Mitch Marner is the reason you didn’t win.’ Well, if that’s the case, be careful, because I don’t think that’s the reason.”
Marner was part of Toronto’s much-hyped Core Four, alongside Auston Matthews, William Nylander, and John Tavares. Despite their talent, the group managed just two playoff series wins in seven seasons together. Button argues that the issue wasn’t Marner, but rather depth.
“Bottom line for Toronto is they weren’t deep enough to win with Marner and Matthews and all those guys. That’s on the management. That’s not on the players,” he said.
Also Read: ‘We Didn’t Win’ – New Golden Knights Forward Mitch Marner Reveals Why He Spurned Maple Leafs
Vegas Wins Big, Toronto Left With Questions
Marner’s move to Vegas dramatically shifts the league’s power balance. Since entering the league in 2016, he has tallied 741 points, more than all but seven other NHL players.
The Golden Knights now pair his elite playmaking with a roster that already includes Jack Eichel, Mark Stone, and Alex Pietrangelo.
“Lucky enough, it all worked out because this is where we wanted to be.”
Mitch Marner on choosing Vegas. pic.twitter.com/iPJIujfash
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) July 2, 2025
Meanwhile, Toronto has to reckon with a 102-point hole in its offense. General manager Brad Treliving earlier admitted there’s “not a Mitch Marner tree you go to and just replace him.”
The Leafs now hope that players like Matthew Knies and Nicolas Roy can offset the loss.
Button’s statement is nothing but a simple warning about what happens when management looks for scapegoats instead of solutions, and whether Toronto, in cutting ties with one of its most productive stars, made a short-sighted move it can’t undo.
As the dust settles, there’s no denying that Vegas just got stronger. And unless Toronto’s depth chart surprises, the critics may soon have plenty more to say.
