Like any Vegas Golden Knights fan, I was dreaming of Mitch Marner skating on the same line as Jack Eichel last night. The thoughts of Vegas potentially getting their big-name winger to compete against teams like the Florida Panthers and the Edmonton Oilers was enticing.
I woke up on Sunday morning to find this little tidbit from Elliotte Friedman.
Elliotte Friedman updated the Mitch Marner, Golden Knights, Maple Leafs situation this morning on “32 Thoughts”.
— Sid Seixeiro (@Sid_Seixeiro) June 29, 2025
This is why Friedge is the one of the best to ever do it.
What an update. Like…wow. pic.twitter.com/AnGIbsKwTc
There's so much to unpack from this situation that I'm still processing the potential accusations. What seemed like good news at first has suddenly evolved into a similar situation to last summer, where Kelly McCrimmon and Jonathan Marchessault got into a "he said, he said" contest.
So let's go over these fresh accusations and break everything down. What are the consequences of said tampering? What makes this feel a little "sus," as the Gen Z kids would say? Is this a bunch of bologna in the end?
Time to put a cat on our heads and use it as a wig because we're investigating the "art of the deal." Let's see if Kelly McCrimmon truly is a bad guy in the end.
Making sense of the tampering allegations against Mitch Marner and the Vegas Golden Knights by the Toronto Maple Leafs
First, what are the consequences of tampering? The penalties are as follows:
- Up to $5 million in fines
- Termination of any contracts signed
- Forfeiture of draft picks
- Awarding draft picks and/or cash to "offended" club
But what about the individual themselves? What would happen to them in this situation if they were caught?
- Up to $1 million in fines
- Suspension or expulsion
Those are some serious consequences there. It's sounds similar to when the Houston Astros were cheating with the trash cans while playing a Todd Rundgren song.
While all that sounds serious, it doesn't simply add up. Why should Golden Knights fans balk at what the Maple Leafs could potentially throw down?
Why all these accusations don't make any sense
First, all of this goes away if the Golden Knights send a good player away? Isn't that called blackmail? Certainly, the league should investigate the blackmail situation and go after the Maple Leafs for that, right?
Imagine a Karen freaking out in a Starbucks and she's having a fuss over a botched drink. She's screaming and throwing stuff around. Then, she proceeds to throw herself on the floor, kicking and flailing her arms in the air.
That seems to be what the Maple Leafs are doing here. I get the breakup between the Maple Leafs and Marner wasn't pretty. But the aforementioned reaction would be the same as watching your team lose to an emergency back-up goaltender or not winning a Stanley Cup since 1967 (damn, man. I don't know that feeling).
Second, why are you asking for a trade in the first place? If you're looking to set up the other party, you'd get laughed out the door once they caught on. It seems like McCrimmon is going up against some hardball tactics here.
Again, all of this is speculation right now. But this is yet another weird turn in a saga that has gone on for over a year now. Welp, that's enough internet for me today. Time to head to Venice Beach and wash those weird feelings away in the Pacific Ocean.
Oh well. Long live the Evil Empire.