The hockey world was stunned when the Toronto Maple Leafs executed a sign-and-trade deal that sent superstar Mitch Marner to the Vegas Golden Knights in exchange for center Nicolas Roy. The big move finally put an end to all the buzz surrounding Marner’s future and wrapped up his nine-year journey with the team that picked him fourth overall back in 2015. For the Maple Leafs, it marked the end of an era—the breaking up of the well-known “Core Four” that had so much potential but just couldn’t get past the second round in the playoffs. The trade had fans and analysts wondering when the relationship between Marner and the franchise hit a breaking point, and what kind of talks might have happened behind the scenes in the months before this big move.

Months after the trade, Mitch Marner’s old teammate William Nylander has shared a rare look into the superstar’s thoughts during what turned out to be his last season in Toronto. According to the NHL’s official website, during the NHL/NHLPA European Player Media Tour, Nylander shared some private conversations he had with Marner.

He mentioned, “Not sure where that stuff comes from, but I don’t think he was ever thinking of leaving ahead of time. I actually asked him during the season, and he said he was concentrating on Toronto. I didn’t want to press him on that and let him be because it was obviously on his mind, but his play was focused on helping us. Then I asked him after the season, and he wasn’t sure.”

Nylander mentioned that Marner kept his attention on Toronto during the regular season, even with all the buzz about his future swirling around. However, the situation grew more complex as the season progressed. So, this matches up with Marner’s performance on the ice in his last season with Toronto. He had an impressive regular season, racking up a career-high 102 points and 75 assists.

However, things didn’t quite go as well in the playoffs, where he managed to get just 13 points in 13 games. But Nylander isn’t the only one from Marner’s past team who’s chimed in about this trade.

They Will All Feel Mitch Marner’s Absence in Toronto

It’s been over a month since Mitch Marner left Toronto to join the Vegas Golden Knights, and finally, Auston Matthews—who was Marner’s teammate for a long time and even served as captain—spoke about it at a charity event. Matthews shared a genuine and professional acknowledgment, saying, “We’ll obviously miss him, he’s a great friend and great teammate. That’s kind of the business side of it, that’s tough, but wish him nothing but the best. We’ll just keep it moving.”

Marner inked an eight-year, $96 million deal with Vegas, and it was all part of a sign-and-trade that sent Nicolas Roy over to Toronto. But, you know, the transition was pretty tough on the emotions. In his farewell message, Marner shared how tough it was to leave his hometown team. He opened up about the challenge of bringing a Stanley Cup to Toronto, which has been a tough goal to reach, especially considering his dedication and importance to the Leafs.

Matthews seemed to suggest that Toronto is all set to move ahead. As Marner starts a fresh journey in a winning culture over in Vegas, Matthews and the Maple Leafs seem to be all about adjusting and keeping that high standard of success.