A strange moment involving Mitch Marner and a Leafs fan is going viral
Photo credit: Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Images
Mitch Marner's highly anticipated return to Toronto went well enough for the forward, but it was something that happened pre-game that's caught everyone's attention.
As the Maple Leafs were set to take on the Golden Knights on Friday, it marked a return to Toronto for Mitch Marner; the first since being traded this past offseason.
Given a fairly warm welcome all things considered, the team gave him a tribute which Marner was admittedly appreciative for and he saluted the crowd and his former teammates and members of the organization where he spent the formative years of his career.
Kolesar's jersey snatch needs a second look
Though not everyone welcomed Marner back, as it was noticed that during the pre-game skate, a fan had a jersey ripped out of their hands by Vegas' Keegan Kolesar:
It was seen as an act of malicious intent on behalf of the Golden Knights however a closer look shows that perhaps it was the fan themselves who didn't have the best intentions in mind.
Later it was shown that the jersey held in front of the Vegas tunnel was emblazoned with Marner's number however the name 'Sellout' replaced the traditional last name.
That didn't sit well with Kolesar, who felt the need to rip that away before Marner even got a chance to respond, and frankly; you can't really blame him.
Toronto gave respect to Mitch Marner despite all odds
There was a lot of animosity between the two parties but at this point it's best if everyone moves on. Marner gave Toronto some seriously good things during his time here, but as with everyone their time ends.
Not even Mats Sundin was able to stick around to end his career here, and while obviously the love for him is different than Marner -- it's still a superstar and beloved player leaving for better or worse.
Marner did get his fair share of boos from the Toronto faithful but it was nothing like everyone anticipated where it was John Tavares levels of anger and it goes to show that either the fans have forgiven him and moved on, or are just tired of him now (probably a little bit of both).
So while a more controversial situation was avoided, it shows that while the majority of people have moved on, Marner's departure still hits deep for some.
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JANVIER 24|848 ANSWERS A strange moment involving Mitch Marner and a Leafs fan is going viral Do you think Mitch Marner's perception in Toronto has changed? | ||
| Yes | 275 | 32.4 % |
| No | 573 | 67.6 % |
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