Last night, the Toronto Maple Leafs were eliminated from the Stanley Cup playoffs. They lost in Game Seven yet again, and now both fans and analysts are saying that the Leafs’ core will be broken up. In a postgame interview, Mitch Marner added fuel to that fire.
Auston Matthews, William Nylander, John Tavares, and Mitch Marner have made up the Toronto Maple Leafs’ core four over the past few seasons—a star-studded roster that has excelled during the regular season but, year after year, has fallen short in the postseason. In fact, the Maple Leafs have not made it past the second round since 2002.
Booed out by fans
And last night, in Game Seven against the Florida Panthers, the Maple Leafs lost 6–1 in a game completely dominated by the Panthers. Fans at Scotiabank Arena booed their star players and threw jerseys onto the ice, expressing their disappointment as yet another season came to an early end. Afterwards, Mitch Marner fought back tears in what could have been his final postgame interview as a Leaf.
Mitch Marner last words
Mitch Marner has faced a lot of criticism for his performance during this year’s playoffs. He tallied 13 points in 13 games, but only two of them were goals. As one of the highest-paid players on the roster, many are now concerned that Marner will not be re-signed this summer. Even Marner himself seemed emotional in the postgame interview, hinting that this might have been his last game in a Maple Leafs uniform.
“It’s meant everything. You know, maybe a risky pick on a small kid from Toronto, and I’ve been forever grateful to wear this Maple Leaf and be a part of this — with some of the great legends here — and to wear this jersey. I’ve never taken a day for granted and have always, always loved it,” Marner told reporters.
Marner’s contract expires on July 1st. You can watch the interview below.
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