Matthew Knies Sends Strong Message to Mitch Marner After Leaving the Toronto Maple Leafs

By now, everyone knows that Mitch Marner left the Toronto Maple Leafs for the Las Vegas Golden Knights. Although he did so via trade, which brought Nicolas Roy to Toronto.

Overall, this is one of the biggest trades in Maple Leafs history, and for some fans, it is the ultimate betrayal, as Marner could have been a Leaf for his entire career.

One player who would never consider leaving the Leafs is Matthew Knies, who recently signed a six-year deal worth an AAV of $7.75 million.

On Tuesday, Knies' signing became official, as did the Marner trade. While speaking to the media about his new contract, Knies was asked about Mitch leaving the franchise and what his thoughts are on all of this.

Unsurprisingly, the young forward took a diplomatic yet strong approach when answering the question. He noted that Marner is a phenomenal player, and that it sucks to see him leave.

Knies scored 29 goals this past season, and many of those goals were assisted by Mitch Marner on the first line. Now, the forward must find chemistry with a new winger.

Overall, next season will not be an easy one for the Toronto Maple Leafs, especially when you factor in Marner's absence. However, the team is working on getting some pieces.

It appears as though Brad Treliving wants to explore the trade market, and this could definitely help bring in a solid player.

Only time will tell whether or not the Maple Leafs can get themselves where they need to be in time for the regular season.