Toronto Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews spoke publicly for the first time Wednesday about longtime teammate Mitch Marner's departure from the club, reflecting on both the emotional impact and business realities of the NHL.
"We'll obviously miss him. He's a great friend, great teammate," Matthews said at a charity event, per David Alter of The Hockey News. "That's kind of the business side of it. That's tough, but obviously I wish him nothing but the best, and yeah, we've just got to keep it moving."
Marner was dealt to the Vegas Golden Knights in June and quickly signed an eight-year, $96-million contract in Sin City before becoming eligible to test unrestricted free agency. Drafted fourth overall in 2015, Marner played nine seasons with the Maple Leafs and was Matthews' most frequent winger on Toronto's top line.
Marner and Matthews formed one of the league's most productive duos and rank fifth and sixth, respectively, on Toronto's all-time scoring list. Despite the impressive regular-season numbers, the pair drew considerable criticism for winning only two playoff rounds during their tenure together.
Matthews, who's under contract through 2028, will look to bounce back come October after scoring a career-low 33 goals in 67 games in 2024-25. The soon-to-be 28-year-old dealt with a nagging injury throughout the season but declined to divulge specifics after the Florida Panthers eliminated the Leafs in the second round.
However, Matthews said Wednesday that his health was "good," with training camp set to begin in September, according to Alter.
