Just One Week Into the Season, Ex-Leafs Star Mitch Marner Has Been Demoted by the Vegas Golden Knights

The Toronto Maple Leafs continue their first season of the post Mitch Marner era, coming off a high-scoring 7-4 victory over the Nashville Predators.

The team's offence looks rejuvenated, spreading the scoring throughout the lineup -- something that had been a long-standing challenge during Marner's tenure in Toronto, due to having a lot less money to go around.

Meanwhile, Marner and the Vegas Golden Knights have started their 2025-26 season with a modest 1-0-2 record. One of their early setbacks came in their season opener, when Marner failed to score in the shootout, leading to a loss.

While it's still early, the fit between Marner and his new team hasn't gone entirely as planned.

As noted by Leafs All Day on X:

As Leafs All Dayy suggested, Daily Faceoff does indeed have Marner removed from the top line and skating as the team's 2nd line RW.

Through his first three games in Vegas, Marner has recorded just two assists, a quiet start for a player expected to be one of the team's best offensive weapons.

In comparison, his linemate Jack Eichel has exploded out of the gate with seven points in three games, underscoring the production gap and further justifying Marner's recent demotion from the top line.

It's an unusual situation for the 28-year-old winger, who was once a cornerstone of the Maple Leafs' offence and one of Toronto's most polarizing figures.

His departure from the Leafs came after months of speculation, contract debates, and questions surrounding his fit within the team's core. Many fans viewed the trade as a necessary change and the end of an era, after a messy breakup.

While Toronto appears energized and balanced in their first season without him, Marner is still finding his footing in Vegas. It's far too early to judge his tenure with the Golden Knights, but his slow start and early demotion highlight how challenging change can be -- even for elite players like Marner.

For now, Maple Leafs fans can take comfort in knowing the team seems to be thriving without its former star, while Marner works to prove that his best hockey is still ahead of him.