- Mitch Marner relocated from Toronto to Las Vegas last summer and is still adapting off the ice.
- On the ice, Marner has been shuffled across positions and linemates while his offense lags.
- Defensively he’s excelled; coaches praise his defensive instincts and Selke-level metrics.
- Marner is building chemistry and community but misses family, snow and his old role with the Maple Leafs.
Mitch Marner’s move to Vegas: new home, new challenges
Mitch Marner left the Toronto Maple Leafs for the Vegas Golden Knights in the offseason seeking less media pressure and a quieter family life. He lives with his wife and infant son in Summerlin, just minutes from City National Arena, but says the transition has been “complicated” — sunny days and anonymity traded for the snow and rituals he grew up with.
Life off the ice
Marner has enjoyed simple perks — walking his dog in shorts during winter and lighter media attention — but the distance from family and friends has been a real adjustment. FaceTime and planned visits have replaced the easy, spontaneous support he had in Toronto. Simple things like early allergy season and no snow remind him how different the desert feels.
Finding a role on the roster
On the ice, Marner’s role looks different. Vegas has rotated him through left wing, right wing and occasional center shifts to find chemistry with players such as Jack Eichel, Tomas Hertl and Mark Stone. Head coach Bruce Cassidy calls it a process: both Eichel and Marner like having the puck, and the pairing hasn’t produced the instant results the Golden Knights hoped for.
Offense versus deployment
Marner’s offensive numbers are the weakest since his early years, in part because he’s seeing fewer minutes and a different usage pattern. He’s averaging the fewest shifts per game of his career and no longer quarterbacks the top power play the same way he did in Toronto. Vegas’ coaches aim to keep Marner around 20 minutes per night and use depth across lines.
Defensive impact
Where Marner has stood out is defensively. Teammates and staff admire his stick work and game IQ — qualities that have pushed his defensive metrics toward Selke Trophy-level conversation. The Golden Knights rely on him differently than the Leafs did, and that has highlighted his ability to impact games without piling up points.
Moments and momentum
Marner has already had moments of connection with fans — a Toronto sign in the crowd drew him to flip a puck to a visitor — but consistent offensive chemistry remains a work in progress. Team bonding (Montana ranch trip, Halloween party, UFC outing) and time will be vital as Marner integrates into a club that already had an established identity.
Watch
Highlights linked from the Golden Knights’ season include: McNabb goal vs. Blue Jackets and Howden goal vs. Rangers.
In the ongoing Maple Leafs vs Golden Knights narrative, Marner’s move is proof that changing teams can fix some pressures and create new ones. He’s still carving out his identity in Vegas — a top defensive forward finding his offensive groove and a father building a life far from Toronto’s snow.
Image Referance: https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6943140/2026/01/14/mitch-marner-maple-leafs-vegas-nhl/