The Toronto Maple Leafs have undergone sweeping organizational changes over the past year, with significant turnover in the front office, behind the bench, and throughout the roster. Even so, Toronto’s core remains anchored by several familiar stars, including Auston Matthews, William Nylander, and John Tavares, who continue to lead the franchise.
Meanwhile, Morgan Rielly’s long-term future with the organization remains uncertain. One departure, however, proved especially difficult for Toronto to overcome. After being dealt to the Vegas Golden Knights in a blockbuster sign-and-trade agreement last offseason, Mitch Marner left behind a void that the Maple Leafs have struggled to replace both offensively and throughout their lineup ever since.
The Maple Leafs are hoping that first overall selection Gavin McKenna, whom they took out of Penn State University earlier this summer after winning the NHL Draft Lottery, will be able to replace some of that offense Marner left behind.
Mitch Marner Reunited With Several Of His Former Toronto Maple Leafs Teammates Recently
Just because Marner is no longer part of the Maple Leafs, it doesn’t mean that he isn’t maintaining friendships with several of his former teammates.
Marner recently attended the wedding of former Leafs goaltender Frederik Andersen, who won the Stanley Cup earlier this spring with the Carolina Hurricanes. He posed for a photo with Andersen and Auston Matthews:
Marner also posed for a photo with former teammates Justin Holl, now with the Washington Capitals, and Jake Gardiner, who is a free agent.
Marner and the Golden Knights were defeated by Andersen and the Hurricanes in the Stanley Cup Final earlier this spring; Andersen started the series but was pulled in Game 3 in favor of Brandon Bussi after Marner scored a natural hat trick on him at T-Mobile Arena.
Mitch Marner’s Agent Recently Blasted The Maple Leafs
Recently, Marner’s agent Darren Ferris caused controversy by blasting the Maple Leafs for what he felt was a lack of protection for his client during his time with the franchise.
“As time went on, Mitch became the focus of everything. Scrutinized for every game, him and his family criticized after every loss. At points, receiving threats on social media, which was disturbing. I received plenty of disparaging comments and misguided reports myself. There was a hysteria,” Ferris said in an appearance on the PuckPedia Hockey Show.
“You gotta remember, Mitch was carjacked in Toronto. Every year the team came up short, he was the one singled out… This is a guy that had the most playoff points on the team, who played through a fractured ankle in the Boston series. He really bled for that team and he was never protected by his organization, in my opinion.”
Ferris continued:
“Right from the get-go. I think people think this whole story with Mitch started with his contract dispute originally or that negotiation, and that’s not really where it started,” Ferris said. “I mean, back when he first signed with the Leafs and his entry-level (contract), they did not want him to have performance bonuses in there.”
Mitch Marner Reunites With Multiple Former Maple Leafs Teammates