Mitch Marner trade turns ugly with serious accusations being made.

This is quickly turning into one of the wildest stories of the summer.

On Saturday night, news broke of a potential trade between the Toronto Maple Leafs and Vegas Golden Knights, a trade that would see Maple Leafs star forward Mitch Marner traded to Vegas.

That trade has yet to materialize but on Monday morning National Hockey League insider Elliotte Friedman made comments that suggest this entire situation may be getting very ugly. How ugly you ask? Well according to Friedman it sounds like the National Hockey League may have to step in here to sort everything out.

"People aren't going to be happy with this but I'm going to say it anyways," said Friedman on the 32 Thoughts podcast. "There's been some talk that if Marner goes to Vegas, the Maple Leafs will go after Vegas for tampering."

Friedman admits that he has no evidence of any tampering on the part of the Golden Knights and isn't leveling any accusations against the organization, but has heard word around the league that this is a very real possibility.

"I have no pro0f that Vegas is guilty of anything," said Friedman. "But it is a time around the league where teams are extremely sensitive about it and... the NHL is itching to try and make an example out of someone."

Interestingly enough, it sounds like the trade between the two sides is even more likely to happen given that things have turned ugly, due to the fact that a trade would make it far less likely that the Maple Leafs would push the issue of tampering.

"Once again.... I don't have any proof that Vegas is guilty of anything but, if they make a deal with Toronto and send a good player or two, I'm betting any chance the Maple Leafs file for tampering goes away."

It seems more likely than ever that a deal will get done here when you consider the alternative, although whether or not the Golden Knights and Maple Leafs will reach an agreement before free agency opens this week remains to be seen.