Toronto Maple Leafs forward Mitch Marner has been the scapegoat for the team's recent playoff woes. He scored just three points in seven playoff games last year and became the face of the loss to the Boston Bruins. Marner became a trade target for many teams, thinking they were going to be tearing apart their core. Former Leafs defenseman Zach Bogosian says it's time to stop blaming Marner.
“He's such a good player, a good person, a good leader…but it's almost like he's the scapegoat for everyone,” he told the Cam & Strick Podcast. “A lightning rod for everyone to say ‘this is the problem' even though he's trying everything.”
Bogosian played 45 games for the Maple Leafs in the 2020-21 season. That season represents the biggest disappointment in recent franchise history. The Leafs lost to the Montreal Canadiens, blowing a 3-1 series lead to a team that finished 18 points behind them in the regular season.
The Marner conversation will continue as long as he remains in Toronto. He has only one year left on his contract and could be out the door as early as the NHL trade deadline. The only move they made after their most recent loss to the Bruins was changing their captain from John Tavares to Auston Matthews. Could this be the final season of this era of Maple Leafs hockey?
Future of Maple Leafs and Mitch Marner
This season could be make-or-break for Marner, Tavares, and a lot of Maple Leafs players. General manager Brad Treliving is in his second season and Craig Berube is in his first. While they are important pieces, it's Keith Pelley who represents the biggest change.
Pelley left the DP World Tour to be the CEO of Maple Leafs Sports & Entertainment, the group that owns the Maple Leafs and Raptors. Ownership changes are rare in sports but they can represent massive change. If this season goes poorly, expect President of Hockey Operations Brendan Shanahan to also be on the hot seat.
Regardless of who is in charge, Auston Matthews is the face of the franchise. One of the best goal scorers alive, the American forward is now the captain of the team. He is also under contract through 2028. Recent reports have Tavares and the Leafs getting close to a contract extension. That would leave Marner on the outside looking in
The Leafs have positioned themselves to make the ‘easy' decision to let Marner walk in free agency next summer. He will command a massive salary and with William Nylander's big extension also on the books, they might not have the room. Divorcing from Marner will be an easy way to improve other aspects of their team and use him as a scapegoat.
Whether he deserves it or not, Marner has become the scapegoat in the Maple Leafs' playoff struggles. They can walk away from him at the end of this season or trade him before the season or at the deadline to get some return for him. Zach Bogosian is correct that he is a great player but that does not mean he is a good fit for the Leafs.
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