Has the ship sailed on the Vegas Golden Knights and Mitch Marner rumors?

All summer long, Mitch Marner has dealt with many rumors regarding his next destination. Will he end up with the Vegas Golden Knights? What about the Utah Hockey Club? It's been an endless array of speculation and proposed trades that have kept Toronto Maple Leafs fans on the edge of their seats.

It makes perfect sense, too. He's in the last year of his current six-year, $65.41 million deal. The organization's tight salary cap space (-$1,069,667) puts the Original Six team in a bind. That's especially true with Nick Robertson getting a new one-year deal, hoping to turn that into a long-term contract.

But let's focus on Marner and Vegas for a bit. It made sense that the winger would be connected to the Golden Knights. They needed a top-line star to pair Jack Eichel with after Jonathan Marchessault went fishing for some catfish in Nashville. Losing 42 goals is a tough hand to have dealt to you, especially when it comes from one of your franchise leaders in almost every category.

After enduring countless rumors and trade proposals, the three-time All-Star wants to stick it out with the "Core Four," hoping to get a long-term deal done before he becomes a free agent next summer. He stated this in an interview with Elliotte Friedman before the start of training camp.

That's the whole goal: To stay with the Maple Leafs. I'm passionate about this team, I'm passionate about this fanbase.

Does his recent comments end all speculation of a Golden Knights-Maple Leafs deal centered around the superstar. Will Vegas hockey fans miss out on seeing Marner and Eichel create first-line magic? The answer might sadden some fans looking forward to seeing the top-line revamped. Others, not so much.

Why the speculation surrounding Mitch Marner and the Vegas Golden Knights is finished

The Vegas Golden Knights themselves are in a pinch regarding the salary cap. Currently, they sit $3,639,983 above the salary cap, putting them in a tight spot. They're also full on roster space, meaning there's no room available. Victor Olofsson is projected to take the current slot in the top line, with his position coming at the start of training camp.

Whether that holds true remains to be seen. However, the Golden Knights can't work a trade with the Toronto Maple Leafs if they're in a similar spot. How can the Golden Knights take on Mitch Marner when the salary cap hit ($10.903 million) is too much to bear? Even with a third team, it would require offloading a sizable contract, which would be Shea Theodore ($5.2 million cap hit). Kelly McCrimmon seems intent on keeping the defenseman for the season, possibly longer.

The Robin Lehner situation doesn't make matters better. With the injured goaltender not showing up for his physical, it puts the franchise in a bind. They can't put $5 million on LTIR without him showing up, with the team going over their next move with the NHL. That will be on their mind before anything else, where they'll seek a plausible option moving forward.

Finally, there's Jack Eichel, who's due for a big contract. His eight-year, $80 million deal expires after 2025-26, meaning the Golden Knights will be without their superstar center. Is it worth ditching a playoff-proven forward for one who has been hot and cold in recent years? That's a big question that McCrimmon must ask himself when contacting the Maple Leafs. Plus, John Tavares will come off the books next season, freeing up $11 million for Toronto.