Matthew Nees is hesitant to label the upcoming matchup between the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Vegas Golden Knights as a rivalry, even after Mitch Marner’s move to Vegas. Speaking on the Kappa Hockey podcast with Johnny Lazarus, Nees reflected on his experiences with the Maple Leafs, his anticipation for the next season, and what it will be like to face Marner when Toronto visits Vegas on January 15th.
Marner was involved in a sign-and-trade deal on June 30th, signing an eight-year, $96 million contract with the Maple Leafs before being traded to the Golden Knights in exchange for center Nicolas Roy. Despite this, Nees expressed admiration for Marner, praising his support and influence on his development during the two years they played together in Toronto. Nees doesn’t see their new team affiliation sparking a rivalry.
Nees is coming off a strong season where he tallied 58 points (29 goals and 29 assists) in 78 games and added seven points in 13 playoff games, including five goals in the second round, tying with John Tavares for second-most. The Arizona-born forward recently signed a substantial $46.5 million contract with Toronto, averaging $7.75 million annually, making him the third highest-paid player on the Maple Leafs, behind William Nylander and Auston Matthews.
The Maple Leafs also honored rock legend Ozzy Osbourne, who recently passed at age 76. Osbourne, the iconic Black Sabbath frontman, had battled several health issues, including Parkinson’s disease, but remained active in music until the end.
Nees spent much of his time in Toronto playing on the top line alongside Matthews and Marner and expressed excitement about reconnecting with Marner when the two teams face off again in January. Besides the January 15th meeting in Vegas, the teams will meet once more in Toronto on January 23rd, marking Marner’s only game in his hometown this season — a highly anticipated event for fans.
Marner spent nine NHL seasons with Toronto, accumulating 741 points (221 goals, 520 assists) in 657 games and ranking fifth in franchise points, fourth in assists, and fifth in playoff points with 63 points across 70 postseason games.
This article originally appeared in Hockey News, expressing gratitude for Marner’s mentorship and cautioning against labeling the upcoming Leafs-Golden Knights matchups as a rivalry.
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Fan Take: This news is significant for hockey fans because it highlights the respectful and positive dynamics between players even amid big trades, setting a tone of sportsmanship rather than hostility. It also adds intrigue to the Leafs-Golden Knights games, promising exciting showdowns that could shape future team narratives without the intensity of a heated rivalry just yet.
