Toronto Media Criticized Over Mitch Marner Coverage
Before leaving Toronto, much of the criticism of Marner centered around one brutal playoff stat: from 2019 through 2025, he failed to score a goal in any Game 5, 6, or 7 matchup.
That narrative only grew after Toronto’s 6-1 Game 7 loss to the Florida Panthers, where Marner finished minus-2 with just two shots. Many saw that night as the performance that ultimately ended his time with the Leafs and reinforced doubts about his ability to deliver in big moments.
But in Vegas, the narrative has changed fast. Marner exploded for a hat trick and an assist in a 6-2 Game 3 win over Anaheim, pushing him to the NHL playoff scoring lead with 13 points.
Tortorella passionately defended Marner. “You guys don’t see the stuff he does,” he said. “People here, people in Toronto, all the people that talk about this guy, they don’t see any of the things that he brings to a game, even if he doesn’t score a goal. I’ve known that coaching against him, so that narrative is a bunch of bullshit. Mitch doesn’t care. Mitch is a pro and he plays for us.”
Tortorella made it clear he feels Marner took far too much criticism in Toronto, with many overlooking everything else he brought to the ice because of the constant pressure surrounding the Maple Leafs.
Marner’s huge Game 3 outing also marked the first playoff hat trick of his career and his first four-point postseason performance since 2019.
Now, the pressure and criticism appear to be shifting back toward Toronto’s front office. While Marner is thriving with Vegas in the second round, the Maple Leafs missed the playoffs entirely in 2026 for the first time in a decade.
At the same time, Auston Matthews has become the focus of growing trade speculation after a dispiriting season. Some analysts now argue that Marner was the offensive engine Toronto never truly replaced.
ALSO READ: ‘Always a Roller-Coaster Ride’: Mitch Marner Addresses Deficiencies From Bygone Maple Leafs Era
As Marner thrives with the Golden Knights and the Maple Leafs spiral into uncertainty, the debate over whether Toronto let the wrong player go is only getting louder.
Now come and give Edmonton media a slap.