For the second time since 2023, the Vegas Golden Knights, who entered the National Hockey League as an expansion club in 2017, are on their way to the Stanley Cup Final.
They completed the sweep of the President’s Trophy-winning Colorado Avalanche on Tuesday night with a 2-1 victory, officially claiming their third ever spot in hockey’s championship round. And it’s thanks in large part to the contributions of former Toronto Maple Leafs forward Mitch Marner, who currently leads all NHL playoff scorers with 21 points in 15 games.
However, one notable writer is taking Marner to task, questioning why he didn’t have this kind of effectiveness for the Maple Leafs in the playoffs.
Steve Simmons Calls Out Former Toronto Maple Leafs Forward Mitch Marner
Journalist Steve Simmons of the Toronto Sun, who made headlines when he openly questioned Maple Leafs Sports & Entertainment CEO Keith Pelley over the hiring of John Chayka as general manager, wondered why Marner never performed like this during his nine seasons with the Toronto Maple Leafs when it came time to the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
“You feel for him, really, watching this hugely talented but tortured soul, on his way to where his Maple Leafs never went, that he can’t allow himself to enjoy the celebration, can’t stop being the sour Leaf whose rather brilliant career stopped each season when the playoff games were important,” Simmons wrote. “He never played like he’s playing right now when he was in Toronto, not at playoff time, and the narrative around is that this success is somehow torture for Leafs fans. The narrative is incorrect from my perspective: Any Leafs fan worth their salt has to have watched Marner on this playoff run, leading the Stanley Cup in scoring heading to the final, and fairly and honestly wonder why he didn’t play this way with the Leafs. Where was this Marner when the Leafs needed him most?”
It’s a fair question for Simmons and supporters of the Maple Leafs everywhere to be asking, considering Marner is now on his way to the Stanley Cup Final in his very first season away from the Maple Leafs.
Simmons concluded:
“What an accomplishment this is already,” he wrote. “What a high. The Stanley Cup is right there to win and somehow in all this excitement Marner is talking about the dark days of Toronto, as though he can’t escape them, whatever those days might have been.”
Did Mitch Marner Throw Shade At The Maple Leafs?
During recent playoff disappointments with the Maple Leafs, Marner was seen getting visibly upset both on the team bench and at his teammates, including going viral for barking at the rest of the club during last season’s Game 7 loss to the Florida Panthers.
Following Tuesday’s win, Marner gave credit to the group that he said didn’t turn on one another, which many took to be a subtle dig at Toronto.
“We have an older group as well, that just stays patient and stays calm,” said Marner.
“We don’t turn on each other, we don’t get mad at each other. We know everyone is trying to do their best out there every single shift.”
Marner and the Golden Knights will face either the Carolina Hurricanes or Montreal Canadiens in the upcoming 2026 Stanley Cup Final.
Notable Toronto Journalist Calls Out Former Maple Leaf Mitch Marner