Mitch Marner Deserves Better Than to Be Toronto's Biggest Villain
... even if he is partially responsible for the hate he's receiving now.
When Mitch Marner’s time with the Toronto Maple Leafs came to a close a few days ago, the reaction from much of Leafs Nation was swift, scathing, and sadly predictable. This is a player Maple Leafs fans have been waiting to vilify.
But, is the attack fair?
Marner, a hometown kid, grew up dreaming of wearing the blue and white and playing with his favourite team, the Maple Leafs. Somewhere along the way, that dream got complicated, with the business of professional hockey becoming a bigger part of the equation. Call it jealousy, an attempt to ensure negotiations were fair among the top players on the roster, or simply bad advice, Marner’s camp and the organization lost sight of the fairytale story he had created in his mind as a youngster.
That can happen. In fact, it probably happens far too often, and Marner isn’t alone.
Unfortunately, Toronto is Toronto. The fan base is passionate. They love you when you do right by them, and they hate you when you don’t. They are quick to judge and don’t easily forget. Marner now finds himself cast as one of the most despised figures in recent Leafs history.
And for what, exactly?
For not living up to impossible expectations? For failing to single-handedly deliver a Stanley Cup to a city that hasn’t lifted one in over half a century? For, perhaps most unforgivably, getting paid what the market—and the Leafs themselves—decided he was worth? Or, just for making it hard to move him when he knew he was on his way out?
Everyone Made Mistakes, But Marner is Moving On… Toronto Fans Should Too
Mitch Marner is an elite NHL player. Despite many spurned Toronto fans now trying to argue he’s not, and pointing to his lack of playoff production as the reason, he’s still one of the most dynamic, well-rounded forwards the league has seen in the past decade.
His eight-year, $12 million deal with Vegas reflects his value. Frankly, given the projections on the salary cap in the next five seasons, it’s an underpayment. His past contract paid him fairly, too. And yet, in Toronto, none of that seems to matter.
