As the NHL Draft excitement grips the hockey world and free agency looms just days away, all eyes are on Mitch Marner and the next chapter of his career. The Toronto Maple Leafs star forward has become the hottest name on the market, and speculation about his future has reached a fever pitch.

Now, with trusted NHL insider Elliotte Friedman doubling down on his belief that Marner is destined for the Vegas Golden Knights, the buzz has only intensified. While nothing is official yet, Friedman’s confidence in his prediction has sent shockwaves through the league, making it seem almost inevitable that Marner will soon be donning a Golden Knights jersey. With Vegas eager to return to Stanley Cup contention and willing to make the necessary moves, the stage is set for one of the most anticipated free agency decisions in recent memory.

Photo credit: Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images

Mitch Marner appears headed to Vegas, and now Elliotte Friedman has made a strong stance on that fact, making it seem all but a certainty ahead of free agency.

The NHL Draft is finally upon us, and less than a week later, we’ll get to NHL free agency, and given the moves we’ve seen already this off-season, the landscape of the entire league could be set to change.

One player that has a lot to do with that change is star forward Mitch Marner, who is the biggest name on the free agency market this summer, and for the past few weeks, speculation has been swirling around his next team.

If he does indeed depart Toronto as expected, Marner will be looking to land with a Stanley Cup contender that can pay him a big deal, and unsurprisingly, that has led to the expectation that the Vegas Golden Knights are the favourite.

That thought has been backed up by NHL Insider Elliotte Friedman, who has all but confirmed that we will see Marner alongside Jack Eichel in Vegas for the 2025/26 campaign and beyond.

Vegas has been the team I’ve predicted [for Mitch Marner], I’m going to stick with that until I’m proven wrong.

It may not be straight forward, as the Golden Knights will likely have to move out some salary to fit in the former Maple Leafs star, but with what he brings to the table, it’s safe to say that he’d be worth it for Vegas, a team that has failed to reach the Western Conference Finals in their two years since winning their first Stanley Cup.

There’s definitely other teams still interested in Marner, but right now, Vegas is the team to beat, and if Friedman is this strong in his thinking, it’s likely going to happen on July 1st or shortly thereafter.