The Maple Leafs skated at Scotiabank Arena on Friday.
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Mitch Marner isn’t sure what reception he’ll receive in his first NHL game in Toronto as a member of the visiting team.
“We’ll see as soon as warmups start,” the Vegas Golden Knights forward said. “But just excited to go back there. That building’s meant a lot to me, so excited to be going back to it and playing in it.”
Marner already heard some boos from Leafs fans when he played Toronto for the first time last week in Las Vegas. Would it be tough to get booed in his hometown?
“Maybe in a way, but not really,” the 28-year-old said. “They’re going to probably try to do their thing to get me off my game and try to win … I’ve got a lot of great players around me here to help me out. I’ve been through a couple of things like this before.”
The best advice he’s received about this return game?
“Just, it’s another hockey game, realistically,” Marner said. “It’s another hockey game to just go out there and play and try to do what you usually do to help win a hockey game.”
Marner’s nine-year run as a Leaf started off as a dream come true, but ended in nightmare fashion. He was actually booed by some fans the last time he played at Scotiabank Arena during a 6-1 loss in Game 7 of Toronto’s second-round playoff series against the Florida Panthers. That was the farthest the team ever advanced during Marner’s tenure.
“We lose Game 7 as we do in [the most] non-enjoyable way of all time probably”
Mitch Marner on his final game playing for the Toronto Maple Leafs. pic.twitter.com/pfIWx0eF65
— TSN (@TSN_Sports) August 29, 2025
“Having full-time security, pretty much, at your house for two weeks after the playoffs just to make sure no one’s coming to your house”
Mitch Marner on dealing with the scrutiny from fans after the playoffs. pic.twitter.com/CM3w22x7CA
— TSN (@TSN_Sports) August 29, 2025
Still, there were plenty of great moments too, as Marner rocketed up the franchise scoring list. He’s currently sixth overall after getting passed by good friend Auston Matthews earlier this season.
Marner also made a big impact off the ice, launching his own charitable foundation. Last season, he was Toronto’s nominee for the King Clancy Memorial Trophy, which is presented to the player who best exemplifies leadership qualities on and off the ice and has made a noteworthy humanitarian contribution in his community.
Marner’s contributions will be showcased in a video tribute during Friday’s game.
“That one I’m trying not to think of too much,” he said. “I’m sure it’ll really hit once it starts going and stuff like that. But, yeah, I’m not trying to think about it too much. I think it’s going to be a cool moment. I’m going to try to enjoy it and then try to get back to hockey right away. But, yeah, I don’t know. I haven’t thought of that too much. I’m trying not to. I know it’s going to be maybe a weird, cool, special moment all in one.”
Joseph Woll on Mitch Marner’s return to Toronto: “A special player for this team for a long time. A big presence in the community. I would hope it’s a warm welcome … I hope the fans pay him respect”
Scott Laughton: “I’m sure it’s going to be … loud”https://t.co/xealsT78dR
— Mark Masters (@markhmasters) January 22, 2026
Marner admitted it was strange to wake up in a hotel instead of his home on Friday, but he’s doing his best to make this day feel as normal as possible.
“I’m sure once warmups are over and the anthem starts going, you know, your heart will beat a little faster,” he acknowledged. “But, as soon as the puck drops, I’m just going to try to think of it as just another game.”
Marner fielded 20 questions from reporters at the Knights hotel on Friday morning before the media session was halted by the team’s media relations staff at the seven-minute mark.
The final question: Is he more excited for the game or for the game to be over?
“Excited to go out there and play hockey and do my thing,” he said. “I’m sure once the game is over, I’ll be excited just to have it over with and kind of be done. So, yeah, both emotions.”
‘It was a special thing to wear that Maple Leafs jersey’: Marner fields questions in return to Toronto Ahead of the Golden Knights’ clash with the Maple Leafs on Friday night, Mitch Marner spoke about how it feels to be back in Toronto where his NHL career began and what type of reception he expects to receive when he hits the ice.
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Marner initially attempted to deflect a question about what it meant to be a Maple Leaf.
“I feel like I got asked that in the summer,” he said. “I mean, I think I answered that. You know, I don’t want to look back anymore. I don’t want to look in the past. I feel like if you look back, you know, you’ll not focus on what’s in front of you. So, yeah, not to kind of not answer it, but I feel like I answered that in the summertime and I’m focused on what’s going on right now.”
“We loved being in Toronto full time and being close to family and friends, but we just thought it was time for a new chapter in life”
Mitch Marner on his departure from Toronto. pic.twitter.com/B9VzeGlw24
— TSN (@TSN_Sports) August 29, 2025
Eventually, Marner indulged in some nostalgia when asked a follow-up question about living out a childhood dream.
“It was a special thing to wear that Maple Leaf jersey,” he said. “I always wanted to, and to be able to do it for nine years and be a part of that team and to play in that arena that I grew up trying to go to watch Mats Sundin, all the legends really, play, yeah, it was pretty cool. It was something that I’ll be able to look back on and share with my kids and just how fortunate I was for that.”
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Marner is hoping to follow the lead of John Tavares, who played the first nine seasons of his career with the New York Islanders before returning to Nassau Coliseum as a Leaf during the 2018-19 season.
“He was cool and collected about it,” Marner said. “It didn’t bother him as much as people thought it could have. That was pretty interesting. I think for me to watch that and think of it now … I’m going to try to go and do it.”
During pre-game interview, John Tavares asked how he deals with negativity & says the “Man in the Arena” quote from Theodore Roosevelt has always resonated with him
“It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles …” pic.twitter.com/5InZyKkccb
— Mark Masters (@markhmasters) February 28, 2019
The Leafs fell 6-1 to the Islanders on Feb. 28, 2019. Tavares had his sweater burned outside the arena and had plastic snakes thrown at him during warmups. Fans booed Tavares when he touched the puck and throughout his video tribute and targeted him with derisive chants throughout the night.
“I wish we played a better game for him in that first game back,” Marner said.
“The game didn’t go very well so that added to it as well,” Tavares recalled. “I was prepared as I could be. Tried to just go out and play, show my appreciation when the moment was there. You’re on a different team now, so you don’t expect the same support as when you played there.”
Tavares reflects on first Long Island visit as Marner gets set for return to Toronto John Tavares recalled the first time he stepped on the ice in Long Island in February of 2019 as an opposing player and spoke about what he thinks Mitch Marner might be feeling when he steps on the ice Friday in Toronto.
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Anthony Stolarz will start for the Leafs on Friday night. It will be the goalie’s first game action since Nov. 11.
“It’s a huge boost,” said coach Craig Berube. “He’s been working hard and he’s ready to go. We gotta get him in at some point. He’s good to go and we’re very happy he’s back.”
It’s been a long road back for Stolarz, who has been sidelined with what he described as a nerve issue.
“He’s a huge part of this team,” Berube said. “That goaltending tandem is very good.”
Friday is the first time all season that Stolarz and Joseph Woll will both dress in the same game.
‘It’s a huge boost for the team’: Stolarz will start in net against Golden Knights Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube confirmed that Anthony Stolarz will be in net when the Leafs host the Golden Knights on Friday. His teammates spoke about how great it was to see their netminder back on the ice. Berube also said the decision on whether the team will keep three goaltenders will be one that is made at a later date.
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Oliver Ekman-Larsson is officially listed as a game-time decision but is expected to play after leaving Wednesday’s loss to the Detroit Red Wings early with a lower-body injury.
“He’s looking pretty good, which is huge for us,” Berube said.
Ekman-Larsson has played every game for the Leafs this season. What makes the defenceman so durable at age 34?
“First of all, you got to want to play through things,” Berube said. “Everybody’s banged up. Like, there’s a lot of guys in the league that are banged-up, and it’s a mindset and choice that you play through it and he’s definitely one of those guys. He’s been doing it since I’ve been here coaching him. A number of things he goes through, but he fights through it.”
Tavares is the only other Leafs player to dress in every game this season.
Ekman-Larsson a game-time decision vs. Vegas; Leafs impressed by his durability Maple Leafs defencemen Oliver Ekman-Larsson participated in the morning skate after leaving Wednesday’s overtime loss to the Red Wings with an injury. Head coach Craig Berube lauded Ekman-Larsson’s toughness and the durability he has shown throughout his career.
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Berube sustained his own injury on Thursday, which was a day off for the team.
“I had an accident in the gym,” the coach said with a smile. “The other guy looks way worse.”
Berube has a black eye and lifted his hat to reveal multiple stitches across his forehead.
“It was stupid,” he said. “It’s on me. My fault. I’m fine.”
What did the players think?
“They laughed,” Berube said. “They loved it, especially when I told them what happened.”
What did happen?
“I’m not going to talk about it. Nobody needs to know. It’s all good.”
‘It was just a bad accident’: Berube keeps sense of humour following gym incident Maple Leafs head coach revealed he had an accident in the gym on Thursday which left him with a black eye and several stitches at the top of his head. Berube confirmed he will coach Friday and joked that the players got a kick out of seeing him.
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Recently acquired defenceman Rasmus Andersson is expected to make his Knights debut on Friday.
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Projected Leafs lineup for Friday’s game:
McMann – Matthews – Domi
Maccelli – Tavares – Knies
Cowan – Roy – Robertson
Lorentz – Laughton – Jarnkrok
Rielly – Carlo
McCabe – Ekman-Larsson
Benoit – Stecher
Stolarz starts
Woll