Golden Knights' Mitch Marner is grateful for first Stanley Cup Final trip after enduring 'dark times in hockey'

Those "dark times" likely refer to Marner's nine-year tenure with the Toronto Maple Leafs. At first, it seemed like a dream come true for the forward when his favorite childhood team selected him with pick No. 4 in the 2015 NHL Draft. But it became a nightmare near the end of his time with the team. 

The Maple Leafs — who haven't won a championship since the 1966-67 season — made the playoffs each season Marner played for the team, but advanced past the first round only twice. He averaged 0.9 points per game in 63 postseason contests for the Leafs after logging 1.13 in 657 regular-season matchups.

Fans pointed the finger at Marner for the postseason failures, and some went too far. Marner said his home address in Toronto was leaked after the Maple Leafs lost to the Florida Panthers in seven games in the second round of the playoffs in 2025, forcing him to hire private security for two weeks. His agent, Darren Ferris, added that the Leafs security team and local police helped remove threatening posts online and tracked down at least one source of a death threat. 

Marner didn't mention concern for his family's safety when Toronto traded him to Vegas in June 2025. He thanked the franchise in a message posted to social media. 

Now, he can bring Vegas its second cup. The Knights will face the Carolina Hurricanes or Montreal Canadiens in the Stanley Cup Final. Before Game 4 on Wednesday night, Carolina led the best-of-seven series 2-1. If Marner wins the cup with Vegas, he'll experience some of the most joyous times in his career, making the dark ones a distant memory.