Toronto Maple Leafs fans will have to wait a few months before letting Mitch Marner know their feelings toward his departure.
Marner and the Vegas Golden Knights are set to make their lone trip to Toronto on Jan. 23 as the NHL unveiled its full schedule on Wednesday.
The Toronto-born forward’s first game against his hometown team will come just eight days earlier on Jan. 15 in Vegas.
Marner left the Maple Leafs for an eight-year deal with the Golden Knights in a sign-and-trade ahead of free agency, fleeing the team that drafted him fourth overall in 2015. Toronto received centre Nicolas Roy in the deal with Vegas.
The reception at Scotiabank Arena for the former hometown hero is sure to be a hot topic of discussion in the lead-up to the game, as Marner statistically ranks among the best Leafs of all-time, but failed to get past the second round of the playoffs.
Meanwhile, the Maple Leafs will open their schedule at home on Oct. 8 against their rival Montreal Canadiens — a young, up-and-coming squad which just returned to the playoffs.
They will face the Panthers, who eliminated them in seven games in Round 2, for the first time on the road on Dec. 2. The Panthers will visit Toronto on Jan. 6 and April 11.
Other highlights include a four-game Western road trip spanning Seattle, Vancouver, Calgary and Edmonton from Jan. 29 through Feb. 3, which leads right into the Olympic break.
The Leafs pick back up on the other side with a Florida back-to-back on Feb. 25 and 26 on the road against the Tampa Bay Lightning and Florida Panthers.
Toronto’s schedule concludes on April 15 on the road against the Ottawa Senators — a rematch of the first-round series that the Maple Leafs won in six games.
Oct. 8 vs. CanadiensOct. 11 at Red WingsOct. 13 vs. Red WingsOct. 14 vs. PredatorsOct. 16 vs. RangersOct. 18 vs. KrakenOct. 21 vs. DevilsOct. 24 at SabresOct. 25 vs. SabresOct. 28 vs. FlamesOct. 29 at Blue Jackets
Nov. 1 at FlyersNov. 3 vs. PenguinsNov. 5 vs. MammothNov. 8 vs. BruinsNov. 9 vs. HurricanesNov. 11 at BruinsNov. 13 vs. KingsNov. 15 at BlackhawksNov. 18 vs. BluesNov. 20 vs. Blue JacketsNov. 22 at CanadiensNov. 26 at Blue JacketsNov. 28 at CapitalsNov. 29 at Penguins
Dec. 2 at PanthersDec. 4 at HurricanesDec. 6 vs. CanadiensDec. 8 vs. LightningDec. 11 vs. SharksDec. 13 vs. OilersDec. 16 vs. BlackhawksDec. 18 at CapitalsDec. 20 at PredatorsDec. 21 at StarsDec. 23 vs. PenguinsDec. 27 vs. SenatorsDec. 28 at Red WingsDec. 30 vs. Devils
Jan. 1 vs. JetsJan. 3 at IslandersJan. 6 vs. PanthersJan. 8 at FlyersJan. 10 vs. CanucksJan. 12 at AvalancheJan. 13 at MammothJan. 15 at Golden KnightsJan. 17 at JetsJan. 19 vs. WildJan. 21 vs. Red WingsJan. 23 vs. Golden KnightsJan. 25 vs. AvalancheJan. 27 vs. SabresJan. 29 at KrakenJan. 31 at Canucks
Feb. 2 at FlamesFeb. 3 at OilersFeb. 25 at LightningFeb. 26 at PanthersFeb. 28 vs. Senators
March 2 vs. FlyersMarch 4 at DevilsMarch 5 at RangersMarch 7 vs. LightningMarch 10 at CanadiensMarch 12 vs. DucksMarch 14 at SabresMarch 15 at WildMarch 17 vs. IslandersMarch 20 vs. HurricanesMarch 21 at SenatorsMarch 24 at BruinsMarch 25 vs. RangersMarch 28 at BluesMarch 30 at Ducks
April 2 at SharksApril 4 at KingsApril 8 vs. CapitalsApril 9 at IslandersApril 11 vs. PanthersApril 13 vs. StarsApril 15 at Senators
