Mitch Marner's harsh reception in Toronto sign of frustration, missed opportunities 

There was a brief pause for a smattering of cheers during a pre-planned video tribute, but the booing quickly resumed.

It is a harsh reminder of how much disappointment Maple Leafs fans feel over this era in the franchise's history. The arrival of Marner, Auston Matthews and William Nylander was supposed to be the start of a championship era that would bring the Stanley Cup back to Toronto for the first time since the Original Six days. 

But in nine years together, that core managed to win just two playoff series and repeatedly fell short in the biggest games. Marner was often at the center of those playoff struggles. His goal-scoring production dipped, he would routinely struggle the deeper into a series it would get, and he also had some ugly contract negotiations that dominated headlines. 

Things also ended up getting personal at times. As Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman highlighted in advance of Friday's game, Marner often felt slighted by the Maple Leafs for decisions they made early in his career, ranging from not giving him a chance to play in the NHL in his age 18 season to withholding bonuses on his rookie contract over salary cap concerns. These were just some of the things that led to a bitter split between a team and a player that should have been a perfect match for each other. 

Entering play on Friday, the Maple Leafs were clearly worse for letting Marner go and on the outside of the Eastern Conference playoff picture. Vegas, meanwhile, is one of the best teams in the Western Conference with Marner. He still has to rewrite the narrative about his career when it comes to the playoffs, and if he does, that is only going to look worse for Toronto, and perhaps lead to even more bitterness.