<p>Auston Matthews spoke on the departure of his longtime teammate Mitch Marner on Wednesday, nearly two months after the former <a href="https://theleafsnation.com/">Toronto Maple Leaf</a> was traded to the <a href="https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/teams/vegas-golden-knights/line-combinations">Vegas Golden Knights</a>. </p>


<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Auston Matthews on Mitch Marner:</p>
<p>“We’ll obviously miss him. He’s a great friend, great teammate. It’s kind of the business side of it, that’s tough. But obviously wish him the best.”</p>
<p>Added that his health is “good” heading into the season.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/LeafsForever?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#LeafsForever</a></p>
<p>— Dave McCarthy (@DaveAMcCarthy) <a href="https://twitter.com/DaveAMcCarthy/status/1958304224288137723?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 20, 2025</a></p></blockquote>
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<p>“We’ll obviously miss him,” Matthews told reporters ahead of Brampton, Ont. Mayor Patrick Brown’s hockey game fundraiser. “He’s a great friend, great teammate. It’s kind of the business side of it, that’s tough. But obviously wish him the best.</p>



<p>“We’ll just keep moving,” he added. </p>



<p>Marner was moved in a <a href="https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/news/toronto-maple-leafs-sign-mitch-marner-eight-year-contract-trade-vegas-golden-knights-nicolas-roy">sign-and-trade deal with the Golden Knights</a> on June 30, giving him an eight-year, $96 million deal that will pay him an annual average value of $12 million through the 2032-33 season. </p><div class="injected-ad injected-video" data-nn-ad-tech-injection-count="0" data-nn-ad-tech-max-gap="130" data-nn-ad-tech-current-gap="164"></div>



<p>The Maple Leafs acquired Nicolas Roy from Vegas in the deal. </p>


<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">TRADE: We’ve acquired Nicolas Roy from the Vegas Golden Knights in exchange for Mitch Marner <a href="https://t.co/KDIAKP33XJ">pic.twitter.com/KDIAKP33XJ</a></p>
<p>— Toronto Maple Leafs (@MapleLeafs) <a href="https://twitter.com/MapleLeafs/status/1940032652951629933?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 1, 2025</a></p></blockquote>
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<p>In 2024-25, Marner recorded a career high 75 assists and 102 points to go along with 27 goals. Through nine NHL seasons, the 28-year-old has 221 goals and 520 assists for 741 points in 657 career regular-season games. </p>



<p>Marner, a native of Markham, Ont., has also recorded 13 goals and 50 assists for 63 points in 70 career Stanley Cup Playoff games. Last spring, he had two goals and 11 assists for 13 points in 13 playoff games, helping Toronto reach Game 7 of the second round against the Florida Panthers. </p><div class="injected-ad" data-nn-ad-tech-injection-count="1" data-nn-ad-tech-max-gap="130" data-nn-ad-tech-current-gap="131"></div>



<p>Taken with the No. 4 overall pick in the 2015 NHL Entry Draft, Marner is one of the NHL’s most productive wingers, posting four 90-point seasons, and has averaged more than a point per game in all but two of his nine years. </p>
