Lol.. Marner fans trying to explain the visible difference in Marners "compete level" and him going dirty areas this year vs not doing it in previous years.
"It must have been Keefe who told him to play with no heart before!!"
We should be angry that he wasn't doing this in the past playoffs...not excited he's doing it in a contract year season.
I'm not getting the venom in the least.
It might be that many "Marner fans" are first and foremost Leafs fans.
Admittedly, I've been on either side of the coin. Had a signature that read, "Make Mine Marner" before he was drafted. This past season called for his dispatch.
But why should fans be angry NOW that he didn't play like he has been lately?
Talk about a zero sum game when it should be framed as a win-win situation:
(1) If Marner returns to form and plays lights out in the playoffs, and we succeed, we win.
(2) If he doesn't, we win for the reasons repeated ad infinitum.
My mind is firmly looking to July 1st, 2025. I have zero expectations this year precisely because we'll have more answers in the summer of 2025 and probably more money to address outstanding issues.
And its completely plausible Keefe's directive was different from Berube's. I wouldn't care if it was Justin Bieber behind the bench getting Marner to buy-in, I'm a LEAFS fan and want the club to do well.
And if we get a certain version of Marner and do well in the playoffs, you might have to admit something horrifying:
That you're a "Marner fan" too.