The Toronto Maple Leafs and the Vegas Golden Knights met at the T-Mobile Arena on January 15 to battle it out. While it has not been long since then, we have arrived at the doorstep of another showdown between the cross-conference rivals. This time, it’s the Golden Knights hitting the road to play the Maple Leafs at the Scotiabank Arena on January 23.
The loaded implication of such a showdown is not lost on anyone. Former Maple Leafs superstar Mitch Marner will be playing in front of the same crowd that had once cheered for him over the course of his nine-season run with Toronto.
Toronto Maple Leafs Brace to Welcome Mitch Marner to the Scotiabank Arena
The last time the Golden Knights and the Maple Leafs met, the Knights successfully defended their reputation on the home ice with a cinematic OT win. Marner had two assists against his former teammates and played a crucial role in enabling Vegas to cruise past the Leafs 6-5. However, as many would expect, the match was not without its share of drama.
Before the January 15 game, much to many Leafs fans’ dismay, Marner blatantly stated that he had not given the showdown against Toronto much thought: “I hadn’t really thought about it till this moment.” The fact that Marner was apparently unperturbed by the prospect of facing his former teammates was not likely to sit well with many Toronto fans.
During the game, Maple Leafs fans rained down boos on Marner, further tensing the situation. As the teams prepare for the epic battle, it is hard not to think about how Toronto fans will receive the standout winger. Speaking up on the subject, Leafs forward Scott Laughton pointed out that the audience is unlikely to stay quiet when Marner appears.
“I’m sure it’s going to be… loud,” Laughton stated, as shared by Sportsnet’s Luke Fox on his social media account.
Joseph Woll, on the other hand, wishes for things not to spiral out of control. Woll made it clear that, despite Marner’s exit, he still has great respect for his former teammate. “I would hope it’s a warm welcome…. It’s unfortunate he’s not with our group anymore. I think hockey is a place of respect, and I hope that the fans pay him respect.”
The Maple Leafs fans have often been on the receiving end of harsh criticism, and if there is one way to defeat that reputation, it would be by exercising restraint when Marner appears to play. The Leafs are currently battling a two-game losing streak, and the community’s priority should be to cheer its own players while they fight the Golden Knights.
