Opinion: Two Things Are True About Mitch Marner In Vegas And Toronto
As Vegas Golden Knights star right winger Mitch Marner celebrates his first trip to the Stanley Cup final, it's a good time for a reality check.
While Marner was well within his rights to leave the Toronto Maple Leafs after nine rollercoaster seasons, let's not rewrite the narrative and say the Maple Leafs and/or their fan base were somehow the problem that made him not perform in the biggest moments and ran him out of town.
Sorry, folks – and sorry, Toronto-haters in particular – but that simply isn't true.
From the moment the Maple Leafs drafted Marner fourth overall in 2015, nobody wanted him to have more success than the Leafs and their fan base. The organization did what it thought it needed to do to surround Marner and the core with the talent that would help them win a Cup for his hometown Leafs team.
Is Mitch Marner The Best Pick For The NHL's Conn Smythe Trophy?
Mitch Marner and the Vegas Golden Knights are nearly in the Stanley Cup final. He and four other players are strong contenders for the Conn Smythe Trophy, which Gary Pearson examines further for BetMGM.
But there is something wrong with rewriting history and departing from reality regarding where it went wrong for Marner in Leafs Land.
When he told reporters earlier in the week that the Vegas players don't turn on each other or get mad at each other, it was hard not to recall him yelling at his teammates to "wake the f--- up" in Game 7 of the second round last year.
And when Toronto critics argue that the Maple Leafs, their fans and the market were the problem that prevented Marner from succeeding in the playoffs, remember that Marner once said he and his Maple Leafs teammates were "looked upon as kind of gods" in Toronto. He never complained about the city or the Leafs then, or when he was demanding $10.9 million per season.
Saying the Leafs failed to surround Marner with the depth he now has in Vegas is a fair comment, but he was paid like a difference-making player, and he failed to make a difference in elimination games. That's not up for debate.
And just as we wouldn't judge Marner's entire legacy for a few bad games, we're also not going to allow the city of Toronto to be judged by a few bad apples who crossed the line in piercing his personal space and off-ice life. The majority of Torontonians wanted nothing more for Marner than ultimate success as an individual and as a team player.
He had nine very good regular seasons in Toronto and zero very good post-seasons. That's where the frustration lies for Maple Leafs fans. And this nonsense painting the Leafs and the city of Toronto as the boogeymen can't be allowed to go unchecked.
Kirkell: Sorry, Toronto, Mitch Marner Doesn't Think About You At All
On Sunday night, Mitch Marner delivered a standout performance in a game where his Vegas Golden Knights overcame an early three-goal deficit to take a 3-0 lead in the Western Conference Final. Vegas needed their stars to shine, and Marner shone particularly bright, recording the primary assist on both of the Golden Knights' first two goals to kickstart the comeback.
Yes, things weren't perfect for Marner in Toronto. That's why the Maple Leafs eventually had to move him to Vegas in a sign-and-trade when it became clear Marner wanted a change of scenery.
But you can't blame Leafs fans for reacting negatively when the on-ice results were poor, when they had a chance to go deep in the playoffs. He was part of the problem, and he's done an excellent job of meeting his potential with the Golden Knights as they make the Stanley Cup final.
For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.
The Hockey News
This story was originally published May 29, 2026 at 2:52 PM.