Now that the dust has settled on Mitch Marner's departure from the Toronto Maple Leafs, more details are beginning to emerge about his exit.
During the season finale of his 32 Thoughts Podcast, National Hockey League insider Elliotte Friedman spoke of how the drama surrounding Marner and his impending free agency created a distraction around the team.
Friedman stated that some players felt burdened as the trade deadline came and went, with Marner remaining in Toronto (after vetoing a potential trade to the Carolina Hurricanes).
Friedman's report didn't mention specific players who were affected, and he didn't state that it was a reason for the team's playoff failure, but clearly, something was amiss within the Leafs' dressing room. The fact that some of the team's players felt inclined to get the message out there through a well-connected voice like Friedman is telling. It further substantiates general manager Brad Treliving's insistence on a change to the team's DNA.
That any members of the Maple Leafs felt burdened or distracted over Marner's situation is concerning. Everyone surrounding the team, including players and management, knew for a long time that Marner planned to hit free agency and test the market.
Marner's situation wasn't an issue when the Leafs disposed of the Ottawa Senators in six games in the first round. It wasn't a distraction or matter in question when the team stormed out to a 2-0 (an overtime bounce away from a 3-0) series lead over the Florida Panthers in round two. It wasn't a problem when the Maple Leafs improbably won Game 6 on the road (with Marner setting up Matthews' third-period game-winning goal).
For Leafs' players to come out now and suggest Marner's circumstances were a hindrance to their success is a convenient, weak excuse. No players have publicly stated this, but the implications are there.
All of Marner, Treliving, coach Craig Berube, the other players, and the team's fans knew what the 2024-2025 season would bring: one potential final run of the "Core 4" era with Marner playing an integral role in the team's success or failure. This was evident, and both sides understood the expectations before the season began.
Dealing with distractions, on or off the ice/court/field, is part of being a professional athlete. Every team has potential or ongoing intrusions that need to be dealt with throughout a season. The best teams get ahead of possible disturbances before they become a problem.
The Leafs failed to do this. Treliving tried to convince Marner to waive his no-movement clause, but the player refused, as is his right. The colossal mistake was made by the Brendan Shanahan-Kyle Dubas regime when they started handing out no-movement clauses to any Leafs player of reasonable significance.
By handing out so many no-movement clauses, the Maple Leafs, in this case, gave Marner all the leverage, which he used to his advantage. The Leafs were left to salvage (save face?) with what they could get (sign-and-trade for Nicolas Roy).
Marner Shares Blame for His Exit
Marner should not be absolved of any responsibility for his messy, clumsy exit from Toronto. He publicly admitted to investigating the Vegas Golden Knights' culture in discussions with Mark Stone and Adin Hill during the 4 Nations Faceoff, while still a member of the Leafs. He shouldn't be villified for it, though, as it is common practice in any sport for most players approaching free agency to have discussions about their prospective future destinations.
He refused to waive his no-movement clause in the potential trade deadline deal with the Carolina Hurricanes for Mikko Rantanen, preventing the Maple Leafs from getting a better return than Roy.
Late in the Game 7 loss to the Panthers, Marner didn't do himself any favors getting caught on camera imploring his teammates to "wake the ____ up!" He was one of the team's biggest no-shows in a game that had gone off the rails by that point.
Marner's fact-finding mission during the 4 Nations Faceoff and his refusal to move at the trade deadline will likely see him on the receiving end of some vitriol upon his return to Scotiabank Arena.
Yet, if the Toronto Maple Leafs' management and players believed the uncertainty around Marner's state of affairs was a cause of their playoff demise, they should first look in the mirror. That's a bigger issue than the departure of their 100-point winger.