The Mitch Marner sign-and-trade became official on Tuesday morning.
And shortly after the Toronto Maple Leafs announced the deal that sent Marner to the Las Vegas Golden Knights for Nic Roy, Marner took a moment to share his thoughts.
The superstar two-way winger wrote a long message on Instagram.
This is what Marner wrote:
Dear Toronto,
Now that my time in Toronto has come to an end, I wanted to share what these last nine years have meant to me.
Leaving isn't easy. This city is where I grew up, where I fell in love with hockey, and where I've had the incredible honour of living out my childhood dream. Wearing the Maple Leaf on my chest wasn't just about playing for a team, it was about representing my home.
When I was drafted, all I wanted was to help bring a Stanley Cup to Toronto. That was always the goal, and I came up short. I know how much this team means to this city, and I know the expectations that come with wearing this jersey. I gave everything I had, but in the end, it wasn't enough. That's hard to admit, because I wanted it so badly, for all of us.
To the fans: thank you. Playing in Toronto is special because of you. Over the last nine seasons, I have felt it all: the passion, the pride, the hope, the pressure and the support. You care deeply, and I never took that for granted.
To my teammates, coaches, trainers, the equipment and medical staff, team services, PR staff, and everyone behind the scenes who keeps things running, thank you. I'm grateful for every conversation, every moment of support, and every bit of belief you showed me along the way.
As I prepare for what comes next, I leave a different person than I was at 18. I'll always be grateful for my time here, and most of all, I'm so proud to have been a Toronto Maple Leafs.
With heartfelt thanks,
Mitch Marner
That's a strong message from Marner.
MORE: Maple Leafs trade for Mitch Marner's replacement in buy-low deal from Mammoth
He may have had a while to prepare it, given that his departure this summer from the Maple Leafs seemed to be a foregone conclusion for a while.
It's solid of him to admit failure in chasing that Stanley Cup goal.
And now, he's on to Vegas, where he'll try to do something he wasn't able to get done in Toronto.
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