Mitch Marner is the perfect player for the Golden Knights evil empire

It's no secret that the Toronto Maple Leafs fan base has turned on Mitch Marner. The "Core Four" member has dealt with fans burning his jerseys and making proclamations like this on social media:

Now, that's not very fair. A team that only has one Stanley Cup in eight years certainly isn't THAT evil, right? You know there are other teams that have repeated in recent history that deserve that moniker (i.e. the Tampa Bay Lightning).

But life's not fair if you're a Vegas Golden Knights fan. You're accused of endless conspiracies that amount to nothing but a hill (not Adin) of beans. But Marner? This is new territory.

Of course, hockey fans know what he brings to the table. 102 points and one of the best two-way forwards in the game gets you plenty of recognition. But it's beyond signing a big-name star to a lucrative contract.

It also involves extracurricular activities stemming from outside events (out of Vegas's control, of course) and a competitive division. Why is signing Marner the ultimate move for the Golden Knights and how do recent events make this happen?

Why everything adds up for Mitch Marner coming to the Vegas Golden Knights

First and foremost, the Pacific Division has gotten tougher. Obviously, your biggest rivals, the Edmonton Oilers, are playing in the Stanley Cup Final. The Los Angeles Kings are also in on Marner and need a goal-scorer to put them over the edge.

Even the bottom-rung teams are bulking up. The Anaheim Ducks have Chris Kreider and Joel Quenneville on board. Guess what? They want a piece of the Marner action! The Calgary Flames almost pulled off a surprise playoff appearance this past season with the magic of love and puppies. The San Jose Sharks have a young, hungry team that needs a big name to put them over the top.

See, you're not just competing with these division rivals in the standings. You're also competing with them for the services of the biggest free agent this season. If one Pacific Division team not named the Golden Knights gets Marner, it makes them a threat.

Sure, the proverbial jokes about his postseason play exist. But he was stuck on a losing team in the Maple Leafs. When you're reduced to reacting like you're having an aneurysm on YouTube, life isn't fun.

Golden Knights fans will point to Jack Eichel being stuck in Buffalo as a prime example. He was mired in a lose-lose situation when the franchise didn't want to grant him a career-altering neck surgery. That could be the same situation for the Maple Leafs forward if he joins Vegas.

Opportunities like this come once in a lifetime

Look, next year's free agency class (as it stands) is loaded. Names like Kirill Kaprizov and Artemi Panarin are on the list, alongside Connor McDavid. Yes, that Connor McDavid. Imagine if he doesn't re-sign with Edmonton and hits the open market. The hype would envelope the Marner hype for this offseason and feed Canadian families for decades.

But this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for Kelly McCrimmon and company. The possibility of Alex Pietrangelo going on LTIR lingers and Mark Stone is off the books in 2027. The plausibility of obtaining the "Core Four" member is much more realistic than people think, especially since they know the salary cap gymnastics that McCrimmon can do.

There was a quote from Andy Strickland that stuck out to me today regarding the Toronto Maple Leafs superstar. It said something about his preference to be in a winning situation compared to being paid.

Entering June, I honestly thought it'd be harder than anticipated to get a player like Marner to Vegas. However, recent events have turned that logic on its head. Now? McCrimmon has an unprecedented advantage.

If the Golden Knights get him? Long live the "Evil Empire," baby.