The Leafs Nation’s staff roundtable: The Mitch Marner special

The Toronto Maple Leafs are set to host Vegas Golden Knights forward Mitch Marner for the first time since he left the team in a sign-and-trade that landed them Nicolas Roy.

It is, without a doubt, the most anticipated regular-season game of the year, one that is expected to have a lively atmosphere, given the contentious nature of the teams’ last meeting over a week ago. Whichever side you land on regarding your thoughts on Marner, there is no doubt that it is going to be a can’t-miss game and one that will be talked about for quite some time afterwards.

That is why The Leafs Nation team came together to do a roundtable discussing all things Marner ahead of his long-awaited return to Toronto. Without further delay, let’s get into the roundtable!

What are your thoughts on Mitch Marner’s exit over six months later?

Arun Srinivasan, managing editor: It’s a complex legacy that Marner leaves behind. He’s the sixth-leading scorer in franchise history after all, and there will be time to celebrate his great moments with the team. As for tonight’s game, the fans need a cathartic moment, and I hope it’s the most emotionally charged regular season game I’ve covered during my four years on the beat.

Alex Hobson, associate editor: Same thoughts as the ones I had when he originally left. It’s a shame it happened the way it did, but it was necessary.

Michael Mazzei, writer and social media coordinator: My thoughts remain unchanged in the sense that moving on was the right thing to do for both parties. What has changed is my frustration with how the whole saga unfolded, and reflecting on the many mistakes that were made by the Leafs and Marner to get to this point. It should have had a happy ending with Marner’s number lifted to the rafters, but he instead is going to be villified unless he wishes to redeem himself down the line.

Dylan Nazareth, writer: Ultimately, it had to happen and was headed in that direction for a while. Still, it’s a shame it came to such a sour point that will tarnish his legacy as a Leaf long-term.

Who is more to blame for Marner’s tenure going south: himself or the Leafs?

Srinivasan: Marner. Putting aside all the narratives, Marner effectively bet on himself and played the worst two games of his career, which also happened to be his final two home games in a Leafs uniform. You could argue that he won the bet, in getting handsomely paid, but I’m sure both parties truly feel measures of regret. It’s on Marner.

Hobson: Marner is. He received bad advice from his camp and shot himself in the foot talking to the media more often than not. Keeping his contract negotiations out of the public eye would have gone a long way in terms of saving him from criticism for his playoff shortcomings.

Mazzei: There is blame to go around on both sides for why Marner is no longer with the Leafs. He surrounded himself with people in his camp who tarnished his public reputation, his comments to the media were far from perfect, and he failed to meet the expectations placed upon him after signing his second contract. The Leafs also failed to move off him prior to his no-move clause kicking in, stuck with him even though things weren’t clicking, and ended up getting little in return once it was obvious he would leave. If I have to choose one, I would lean towards Marner being more responsible for all of this going down.

Nazareth: Himself. He never stepped up in the playoffs and couldn’t handle the pressure of playing in his childhood market. The team always stood by him, but it wasn’t enough for him in the end.

Who do you think misses the other more: Mitch Marner or the Leafs?

Srinivasan: Just in the on-ice sense, the Leafs. The idea that the team would be able to replace his impact in the aggregate isn’t holding up too well, while Marner is benefiting from lower usage on a loaded Golden Knights team. If he wins a Cup, I’m sure he’ll have no regrets.

Hobson: Right now? Probably a 50/50 split. Marner is performing below his standards in Vegas and the Leafs are performing below their standards without him. We’ll see who makes it further in the playoffs.

Mazzei: The Leafs certainly are missing him because of the value he brought during the regular season and the struggle to adjust to life without him. But I would argue Marner misses the Leafs more, not simply because of his production being off but more so because of the culture shock of being away from home for the first time in his life. It’s fair to wonder if he will reach a point of regret down the line and want a chance at a do-over towards the end of his career.

Nazareth: Mitch Marner misses the Leafs. Marner is seeing some of the worst numbers of his career this year, and doesn’t seem too happy with his new environment in Vegas. There’s no doubt the Leafs could use his consistent point production back on the top line, but if they can’t anticipate it come playoff time, what good is it anyways?

What is your favourite Marner memory from his time with the Leafs?

Srinivasan: It’s either draft night, where Mike Babcock hopped into the stands to greet the Marner family (I’m not retconning this memory!) or when Marner scored a sensational overtime winner against the Edmonton Oilers for his 200th goal in November 2024.

Hobson: Anything from the first few years of his career. Pre-contract drama, when it was just a young Toronto kid living out his dream playing for the Leafs and bringing hope to the organization after so many years of dumpster diving.

Mazzei: The easy answer is the end of Game 3 of the 2019 series against the Boston Bruins, where Mitch Marner blocked two David Pastrnak shots to secure the win. At the time, it seemed that it was a sign he was taking the next step into becoming the type of player that would be the key to the Leafs being a Stanley Cup contender. Now it’s looked back at as the last time Leafs fans were unanimously on his side as things started to turn sour from then on.

Nazareth: “We are looked upon as gods here.” For better or for worse, one of the more memorable quotes from the Leafs locker room in recent years.

What kind of atmosphere are you expecting in Marner’s first visit to Toronto as an opponent?

Srinivasan: As my colleague Dylan Nazareth wrote, There Will Be Boos! This game is for the fans, and they deserve a measure of verbal catharsis on Friday night.

Hobson: If the game in Vegas was any indication, it’s going to be a hostile one!

Mazzei: I will be more shocked if Scotiabank Arena isn’t filled with mostly boos, especially given the atmosphere during the first matchup in Las Vegas last week. You can expect some applause during the video tribute, but the rest of the night is going to be boos every time he touches the puck.

Nazareth: Boos across the GTA.