New Details Emerge on Mitch Marner's Contract Talks With Maple Leafs as Fans React With Outrage
Photo credit: John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images
Some new details surrounding Mitch Marner's contract situation has fans up in arms and potentially painting the star forward in a villainous light.
With the drama surrounding Mitch Marner and his future with the Maple Leafs, so many questions are being asked about whether or not he wants to stay, whether Toronto should even keep him if he does, and what massive amount of money he's going to make come July 1.
Mitch Marner Ruins Toronto's Playoff Chances With In-Season Decisions
It feels all but assured that Marner is going to be on a different team next season, and while it breaks up something that was pretty special in Leafs Nation; a change is certainly necessary.
According to a new report however, Toronto tried to have it both ways and Marner said no. It wasn't only the potential Mikko Rantanen deal either, and it seems his mind was made up long before the season ended:
Marner likely could have already become a lifetime Leaf had he wanted.
The Leafs tried to sign him to a contract extension during the season. The organization decided it didn't need to see what happened in the postseason.
The Leafs wanted Marner to be here. Had they signed him to an eight-year deal, it would have been the biggest contract in franchise history.
The Leafs tried to sign him to a contract extension during the season. The organization decided it didn't need to see what happened in the postseason.
The Leafs wanted Marner to be here. Had they signed him to an eight-year deal, it would have been the biggest contract in franchise history.
But then relented that he did his assumed former team a huge disservice after declining the extension by saying no to a trade for Rantanen:
Marner declined to sign an extension, even in the midst of increased pressure at the trade deadline when the Leafs tried and failed (thanks to the no-movement clause that kicked in on his contract two summers ago) to trade him for Mikko Rantanen.
He never did clarify why he didn't sign.
«I'm here to play hockey,» Marner told me after a practice in Los Angeles in late March.
He never did clarify why he didn't sign.
«I'm here to play hockey,» Marner told me after a practice in Los Angeles in late March.
We've heard all of that nonsense before, and Marner was can now be thought to have just been here to play hockey to make his wallet a bit bigger in the summer; he seemed to lose the allure of winning under the pressure.
Is it a drastic overreaction to say Marner is now an enemy in the Maple Leafs fans' eyes? Maybe, but let's take an honest look.
He already declined an extension, one that would make him unfathomably rich, and keep his legacy intact in order to try and win. Admirable, sure, but it was hollow in the end.
Then to turn around and say "No, you won't trade me." knowing that he won't be coming back, and therefore making Toronto worse in the playoffs and trying to blame it on his teammates is pretty toxic.
Fans are pretty upset too, however are also trying to take Marner's side at times as well, though some of the sentiment directed towards him is quite unwarranted and borders on harassment.
The Anti-Marner crowd was focused on his need for more money and a huge deal, meanwhile the Pro-Marner group was worried about Toronto's regression without him.
If Marner wanted to win in Toronto he would have stayed and signed an extension. If he wanted to win in general, he should have taken the trade to Carolina and still would have made an obscene amount of money.
But either way you look at it, Mitch Marner's reputation in Toronto is getting more and more sour as the days pass, and Maple Leafs fans aren't able to stomach Marner's flip-flop and inconsistent performance and attitude any longer.
| POLL | ||
MAI 21 | 1045 ANSWERS New Details Emerge on Mitch Marner's Contract Talks With Maple Leafs as Fans React With Outrage Is Mitch Marner now Public Enemy #1 in Toronto? | ||
| Yes | 590 | 56.5 % |
| No | 455 | 43.5 % |
| List of polls | ||
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