Why Mitch Marner is back in the Maple Leafs orbit as road trip begins

The Toronto Maple Leafs are set to face former winger Mitch Marner and the Vegas Golden Knights at T-Mobile Arena on Thursday night. The matchup marks Toronto's first road game of a trip that also includes stops in Colorado and Utah. Marner, who reached the Stanley Cup final with Vegas last season after registering 29 post-season points, faces his former club amid ongoing discussions regarding his departure from Toronto.

Toronto underwent significant offseason changes following Marner's exit, including John Chayka replacing Brad Treliving as general manager and Jim Hiller taking over head coaching duties. Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews and teammate John Tavares noted that they have maintained positive relationships and regular contact with Marner, who currently has two points in four games playing on a line with William Karlsson and Brett Howden.