Player Discussion Mitch Marner Part Infinity

[ACC1224]

Losing him for nothing because he refused to negotiate or waive for over a year would be upsetting. I don't even think the Leafs could trade his rights for picks in June because of his NMC.

Sure it would suck but that’s not on the player.

 

[Leaf Fans]

I think I just read that Marner has 1 shot on net in his last 3 playoff games……could this be true

Yeah, his last shot was the GWG in game two. He has had a lot of attempts blocked, but has to get shots on net.

 

[ruaware41]

"Silence is better than deceit."

Source: me, 2025

 

[IPS]

Yeah, his last shot was the GWG in game two. He has had a lot of attempts blocked, but has to get shots on net.

100% average SH% over the last 3 games? Exceptionally impressive.

 

[keonsbitterness]

That’s not Marner’s fault though, that’s the organizations. From 2015-2023 they had every opportunity to move off the player. They waited till his NMC kicked in before they decided okay we want to move him.

That’s lunacy and on Shanahan.

Also Dubas. He said at 2021 training camp that he explored the idea of trading a core piece but then rejected it.

Sure it would suck but that’s not on the player.

Except that he has refused to negotiate for a year while repeatedly claiming he wants to remain a Leaf. Big disconnect there.

 

[notDatsyuk]

Why would marner help this team get assets if he wants to leave?

People who spew this but had no problem with John Tavares signing with us piss me off. Would you have wanted to trade one of Willy or Marner as a young guy for Tavares? Or did you enjoy signing him for free.

Think of it from that perspective and you’ll realize how rediculous it is to have expected him to waive to help out the leafs

I've been saying that for years, primarily about Tavares.

The difference in my understanding, and why the Islander fans were so upset, was not that Tavares wouldn't sign, but that he kept saying he would sign a new contract when the old one expired. As soon as it did, he declared as a free agent.

Somewhat similar to Sundin 'retiring', then signing with Vancouver, although I believe he was being honest.

 

[notDatsyuk]

As much as I like Nylander, it's worth remembering he was the 1st guy out of the big 3 to sit out the majority of 1 season for an extra half a million dollars to get Pasternak money while having not been Pasternak level. Nylander led the way for the rest of them here. Isn't it amazing we draft a crazy skilled core in Marner, Nylander, and Matthews and 2 of the players have rare parents who rather than be grateful or stay out of it are going to make sure their son haggles for every penny they can get and the other guy is always playing injured?

Yes, 6.9 is so much worse than 10.9 or 11 or 11.6.

We've heard a lot about Mitch's parent getting involved, but not much about Willy's (other than a few posters complaining that he's like his father, always switching teams because he's only interested in looking for a better paycheque).

 

[Leaf Fans]

100% average SH% over the last 3 games? Exceptionally impressive.

I suppose you could spin it that way.

 

[notDatsyuk]

Did Tavares block trades and refuse to negotiate?

Players leave all the time. Many of them have at least some desire to stay.

If the islanders approached JT multiple times, he refused to negotiate or waive. Then that’s the same. I don’t think that’s what happened.

My understanding, from spending a fair bit of time on the Islanders board back then, was that he had told management that he would sign a new contract with them, after the existing one expired. They took him at his word, and didn't try to trade him. When his contract expired, he went to FA.

Different, and you could say he had to be sneaky because he didn't have an NTC.

 

[notDatsyuk]

Tavares took less to come here than both The isles and SJ offered him

You have no evidence he refused to negotiate

We have evidence he ultimately signed with the leafs.

The isles who changed GMs didn’t get a deal done. Thats on them.

He didn’t refuse trades or refuse to negotiate for an entire yea e

And after Mitch goes FA and signs with Pittsburgh for $13, we can say we offered him $14 and Winnipeg can say they offered $15.

Has anyone seen these 'offers'?

And if they knew he was signing here (which pretty much everyone did) they could offer anything to make them look good to their fans. Would you put that past Lou?

 

[notDatsyuk]

Sure it would suck but that’s not on the player.

At worst you can blame the GM for giving him the NTC.

 

[Leaf Fans]

And after Mitch goes FA and signs with Pittsburgh for $13, we can say we offered him $14 and Winnipeg can say they offered $15.

Has anyone seen these 'offers'?

And if they knew he was signing here (which pretty much everyone did) they could offer anything to make them look good to their fans. Would you put that past Lou?

I am sure they can, but it doesn't seem very likely that they would.

 

[TopCheeseShotta]

Petty as it may be, I loathed every minute of Marners defiant little media availability Tuesday. It was repulsive. A bunch of "just keep doing what we're doing" and "Auston is the same" guy even though it's not working, and that's what we love about him. Woof.

Like, I get it.. you guys all double down on staying cool and being even keel and all that - but my man...... post season after post season u do the same and you're gonna get the same - so maybe just take a littttttle bit of a look in the mirror, and realize the people outside of the room are not trying to attack you.. not all, anyway.. they're trying to help you.. get out of your own way and be willing to switch it up a bit, be adaptable, be curious and strategic and flip the script.. it certainly can't hurt, versus more of the same your whole professional life. Geez.. Between you and Matty the smugness and "do it for the guys in this room" ethos is tired. Do it for your fans and because you hate to f'n lose, my man... blood, sweat and tears - or you're gettin' beat... it's pretty simple.

 

[seventieslord]

And people will be pissed because Marner if he wanted to leave could have left and the leafs could have worked out a deal where he wants to go. They asked for numbers. They tried to plan. He has refused to talk.

He wants people to support his causes and foundation. His team including his dad and agent has negotiated the the media, using fans to get what he wants.

If he walks for nothing after refusing to negotiations and working out a trade. He will be villified by the fans. He will not be harmed or held in breach of contract or anything. He broke no laws. But people will be correctly angry.

The franchise isn't entitled to anything. Contractually speaking (not on-the-ice speaking), Marker doesn't owe them anything. We got our 9 years out of him, probably the best 9 years anyone will get out of him. It's the natural order of things that teams that are in the playoff picture risk losing their players for "nothing" because they need all hands on deck for the cup push. There's no selling. And teams on the outside looking in, they get to improve their outlook for the future by not having a cup push to worry about, so they get some assets for their UFAs. For Treliving to have pulled off a Rantanen deal with an expiring asset like Marner would have been a massive coup. And extremely rare! But am I mad that he couldn't make it? No, of course not. You shoot for the moon, you usually miss.

The Isles were pissed to lose Tavares for "nothing" but what happened next? They just took that cap space, spent it, got a new coach and GM, and voila, they never missed a beat. In fact, they got even better. 103, 96, 104 points, and in just the 2020 and 2021 seasons won as many playoff games as JT has to date in his Leaf career. They were a game, and then a goal, away from two Stanley Cup Finals. Ultimately the way they were constructed had a poor shelf life but they had real success, the kind we dream of, and that was after we stole the only marquee player that team has had in 20 years. We have THREE right now and we're worried about losing one of them and having $11M in cap space? Gimme a break...

 

[Tak7]

Petty as it may be, I loathed every minute of Marners defiant little media availability Tuesday. It was repulsive. A bunch of "just keep doing what we're doing" and "Auston is the same" guy even though it's not working, and that's what we love about him. Woof.

Like, I get it.. you guys all double down on staying cool and being even keel and all that - but my man...... post season after post season u do the same and you're gonna get the same - so maybe just take a littttttle bit of a look in the mirror, and realize the people outside of the room are not trying to attack you.. not all, anyway.. they're trying to help you.. get out of your own way and be willing to switch it up a bit, be adaptable, be curious and strategic and flip the script.. it certainly can't hurt, versus more of the same your whole professional life. Geez.. Between you and Matty the smugness and "do it for the guys in this room" ethos is tired. Do it for your fans and because you hate to f'n lose, my man... blood, sweat and tears - or you're gettin' beat... it's pretty simple.

Gotta be honest - this is the most calm, collected, and composed I recall seeing Marner: not just in the playoffs but in general with dealing with the media.

Whether that's the Berube effect, the Four Nations experience, him being immune to criticism because he knows he's leaving, or a combination of all of those things? I dont think Marner "staying cool" is an act. I think they're well grounded.

Criticizing his play is fine, but your post seems deeply personal, obsessive, and massively unfair to the player.

I dont, for second, believe that Marner is immune or unaware of the criticism. We know how big his entourage is & they'll be telling him everything that's being said. This season he's looked far more at peace with it.

 

[blue stick]

Let your hate go, just win baby. Go Leafs Go!

 

[leafs in five]

hotpaws saw the Tavares bat signal in the sky

 

[leafs in five]

Petty as it may be, I loathed every minute of Marners defiant little media availability Tuesday. It was repulsive.

 

[TopCheeseShotta]

Gotta be honest - this is the most calm, collected, and composed I recall seeing Marner: not just in the playoffs but in general with dealing with the media.

Whether that's the Berube effect, the Four Nations experience, him being immune to criticism because he knows he's leaving, or a combination of all of those things? I dont think Marner "staying cool" is an act. I think they're well grounded.

Criticizing his play is fine, but your post seems deeply personal, obsessive, and massively unfair to the player.

I dont, for second, believe that Marner is immune or unaware of the criticism. We know how big his entourage is & they'll be telling him everything that's being said. This season he's looked far more at peace with it.

Who cares if he's more at peace with what's being said?? I mean, that's the whole point here. That's NOT a positive. First of all, it's not a high bar to climb for him to be less obtuse, angry or whatever he's been. Ultimately, I can see that he's more grounded, or cool, or aloof or whatever you want to call it. I can see that he's taking it more in stride. I can gather where you might think that's "him being immune to criticism because he knows he's leaving" or a combo of other things. I just don't support the tact. I don't think you have to be that "pissy" (thanks, Draisaitl) - and I don't think it's how anybody in sports or business or relationships gets better. Tuning out the outside noise is one thing. But anytime there's the faintest suggestion from Masters et al, that something is lacking, faltering or if he's considering how to improve something, his responses come across like a defiant, petulant child. Domi was no better by the way. Matty shows the same disdain regularly too. I don't know - dem boyz just ain't my blood type, I guess... but I encourage everyone to actually watch it with that lens - and ask.. How's this stance worked for ya so far Mitch? The us against the world thing? The 'we only play for the guys in this room' bit? Cuz there's a world outside trying to show you that instead of being fed your lunch for a decade, there might be another gear required at this time of year. But ok - just go the other direction - be more calm, more composed, more removed, cooler and more tuned out than ever before about it - as you say. Hopefully it is a front and they've all got the moxy to actually dig deeper this time around starting in Game 5. There's always hope for that view too, I guess?

 

[thewave]

Gotta be honest - this is the most calm, collected, and composed I recall seeing Marner: not just in the playoffs but in general with dealing with the media.

Whether that's the Berube effect, the Four Nations experience, him being immune to criticism because he knows he's leaving, or a combination of all of those things? I dont think Marner "staying cool" is an act. I think they're well grounded.

Criticizing his play is fine, but your post seems deeply personal, obsessive, and massively unfair to the player.

I dont, for second, believe that Marner is immune or unaware of the criticism. We know how big his entourage is & they'll be telling him everything that's being said. This season he's looked far more at peace with it.

I think it's a few things because he looked like he was crapping himself in game 4.

I think he ate humble pie. I think he knows his numbers aren't stacking up with Rantanen and I think he knows it's probably going to be over here after this.

Makes sense don't ya think

 

[ACC1224]

Also Dubas. He said at 2021 training camp that he explored the idea of trading a core piece but then rejected it.

Except that he has refused to negotiate for a year while repeatedly claiming he wants to remain a Leaf. Big disconnect there.

Wanting to remain a Leaf but looking to escape the toxicity thrown his way is the conflict. I’m guessing the waiting it out is in hope the narrative would change.
Funny that the ones making it toxic and forcing him out will be the ones that will be pissed at him if he leaves.

I still believe he stays.

 

[darrylsittler27]

Wanting to remain a Leaf but looking to escape the toxicity thrown his way is the conflict. I’m guessing the waiting it out is in hope the narrative would change.
Funny that the ones making it toxic and forcing him out will be the ones that will be pissed at him if he leaves.

I still believe he stays.

I don't. If we lose we need to move on. The last Gm was incompetent and so is the guy who hired him.They have done everything to prop these guys up and they just aren't playoff performers. Once we lose they clean house.

 

[francis246]

Also Dubas. He said at 2021 training camp that he explored the idea of trading a core piece but then rejected it.

Except that he has refused to negotiate for a year while repeatedly claiming he wants to remain a Leaf. Big disconnect there.

This season Marner hasn’t claimed to want to remain a leaf. He said that at the end of last year.

The only thing he’s said this year is, I’m not getting into the contract stuff, I’m focused on helping my team in the playoffs. He’s said that quote or something similar at least 5 or 6 times this year.

 

[francis246]

Petty as it may be, I loathed every minute of Marners defiant little media availability Tuesday. It was repulsive. A bunch of "just keep doing what we're doing" and "Auston is the same" guy even though it's not working, and that's what we love about him. Woof.

Like, I get it.. you guys all double down on staying cool and being even keel and all that - but my man...... post season after post season u do the same and you're gonna get the same - so maybe just take a littttttle bit of a look in the mirror, and realize the people outside of the room are not trying to attack you.. not all, anyway.. they're trying to help you.. get out of your own way and be willing to switch it up a bit, be adaptable, be curious and strategic and flip the script.. it certainly can't hurt, versus more of the same your whole professional life. Geez.. Between you and Matty the smugness and "do it for the guys in this room" ethos is tired. Do it for your fans and because you hate to f'n lose, my man... blood, sweat and tears - or you're gettin' beat... it's pretty simple.

I’m not sure what you guys want him to do? Go to the media and bury Auston? If he did that the fans would be even more pissed.

I don’t mind Marner’s quote, the last thing he needs is an electric raw raw quote. Just go out there and play. Everything said in this market gets over analyzed.

Also I’m gonna say what needs to be said Mark Masters f***ING SUCKS at his job. The questions are so stupid. Ask interesting questions, he asks the same boring shit every day. I’d get to the point where I’d give basic answers. Get Terry Koshens in there to ask the questions, the players actually like him/have a great relationship with him and he’s a good reporter

 

[ACC1224]

I don't. If we lose we need to move on. The last Gm was incompetent and so is the guy who hired him.They have done everything to prop these guys up and they just aren't playoff performers. Once we lose they clean house.

Could be but Teams don’t typically let players of this stature walk, unless you can think of an example?
Teams retool every year they’ll find another approach.