Florida Panthers forward Brad Marchand is no stranger to trolling the Maple Leafs. He’s had a long history of rubbing salt in the wounds of Leafs Nation.
His comments ahead of Tuesday night’s tilt in Toronto delivered some more of that. But beyond the usual Marchand brand of trolling, the two-time Stanley Cup champ dropped a brutal truth bomb about Mitch Marner and the Maple Leafs.
Marner had this to say about the way the relationship between Marner and the Maple Leafs ended:
“It’s unfortunate the fans ran Marner out of town, that’s a huge impact for their group. He’s a point a game player, that hurts.”
“As a group they compete the right way. It’s unfortunate the fans ran Marner out of town, that’s a huge impact for their group. He’s a point a game player, that hurts.”
— TSN (@TSN_Sports) January 6, 2026
Brad Marchand on almost joining the Leafs and the impact of losing Marner. pic.twitter.com/bqHkixH5wa
That’s not really saying the quiet part out loud. The consensus has been that Marner left the Maple Leafs because of the increasing pressure from fans and the media. Marner admitted to the situation in a roundabout way during an interview ahead of this season.
But Marchand, as unfiltered as he can be, did not have a Freudian slip. He didn’t think “oopsie” after uttering the comments.
No, Marchand, in a matter-of-fact way, made the reasons for Marner’s departure clear. Whether he’s actually right or not is up for debate. The only one who could truly confirm his comments is Marner.
But then again, why would Marchand lie about something like that? Sure, he’s entitled to his opinions.
It’s worth pointing out that the fans aren’t to blame for Marner’s departure. It’s not like an angry mob put the former Leaf on a plane and jettisoned him out of town. But it’s hard to ignore that Marner just couldn’t take the heat. And so, Marner got out of the kitchen.
There’s one other piece of subtext in Marchand’s comments. He stated that Marner is a point-per-game player, which is something that hurts.
The comments made me think of something: The Maple Leafs’ sour season could be the result of the team going through a grieving period. As strange as it may sound, people mourn losses in various ways. A person does not necessarily need to pass away for others to go through a grieving period.
Anyone who’s ever lost a favorite co-worker or classmate can attest to that. Having a falling out with a good friend can trigger feelings of grief, guilt, and loss.
That’s purely speculation on my part. But it seems Marchand should get his psych degree. The Maple Leafs could have gone through a tough period following Marner’s departure that goes beyond on-ice numbers.
Perhaps Marchand has found a new career path following his NHL career.