Trade talks continue to swirl around Toronto Maple Leafs forward Mitch Marner as the NHL Playoffs continue to roll along.
Through all the speculation, mock trades, and general complaints, I have yet to hear a good reason why the Toronto Maple Leafs have to part ways with Marner.
Sure, Marner did not produce the offence we are accustomed to seeing from him in the series against the Bruins.
However, no player on the Leafs did as they ran into the hottest goalie in the NHL, Jeremy Swayman, who leads all goalies who have made a start in the playoffs in save percentage and goals saved above expected per 60 minutes.
IF the Toronto Maple Leafs Trade Mitch Marner It Would Be a Massive Mistake
In addition to running into the hottest goalie in the NHL, Maple Leafs head coach did not set his best playmaker up for success as he was stuck with John Tavares shadowing Boston's first line for the first half of the series.
In the other half of the series, Marner played with Max Domi and Tyler Bertuzzi, who, for one, are not goal scorers and, two, need help to think and play the game at the same pace Marner can.
I understand that fans are angry and tired of seeing the same old song and dance, but blaming Marner is just scapegoating the Maple Leafs' real issues, which start in the Front Office. I will stand by what I said mid-series against the Bruins: Trading Marner would be one of the worst decisions in Maple Leaf history.