TORONTO -- Mitch Marner was traded to the Vegas Golden Knights by the Toronto Maple Leafs on Tuesday. The 28-year-old forward, who could have become an unrestricted free agent, signed an eight-year, $96 million contract with Toronto prior to the trade. It has an average annual value of $12 million.

Marner was set to hit unrestricted free agency for the first time in his career after his contract with the Maple Leafs expired on June 30. Rather than hit the open market, he was dealt to Vegas in exchange for Nic Roy and proceeded to sign an eight-year contract worth $12 million per season.

Mitch Marner is going to Vegas, after the Golden Knights made another major move to add a big-time player, snatching up the top pending free agent before the rest of the NHL got the opportunity. They got Marner in a sign-and-trade with the Toronto Maple Leafs agreed to on Monday and announced early Tuesday.