{"id":700260,"date":"2026-05-28T22:38:10","date_gmt":"2026-05-28T22:38:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/700260\/"},"modified":"2026-05-28T22:38:10","modified_gmt":"2026-05-28T22:38:10","slug":"will-marners-jabs-at-maple-leafs-turn-into-a-kadri-knockout-punch-the-hockey-writers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/700260\/","title":{"rendered":"Will Marner’s Jabs at Maple Leafs Turn Into a Kadri Knockout Punch? – The Hockey Writers –"},"content":{"rendered":"

Few people are happier today than Mitch Marner<\/a>. Following the Vegas Golden Knights\u2019 sweep of the Colorado Avalanche on Tuesday, the ex-Toronto Maple Leafs forward is glowing, given he\u2019s moving on to the Stanley Cup Final. <\/p>\n

Following the Game 3 comeback and the Game 4 series-clinching win, Marner didn\u2019t waste any time drawing an indirect contrast between his Vegas Golden Knights teammates and his former running buddies in Toronto. In fact, while speaking to reporters following the Game 3 win, Marner made it sound like he wasn\u2019t buddies at all with the likes of Auston Matthews or William Nylander. <\/p>\n

What Did Marner Say About Toronto?<\/p>\n

It wasn\u2019t really what Marner said about Toronto, but it was how he phrased his appreciation for his Vegas teammates that stood out in Leafs Nation. <\/p>\n

\u201cWe have an older group that just stays patient and stays calm,\u201d Marner said<\/a>. \u201cWe don\u2019t turn on each other, we don\u2019t get mad at each other.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"MitchMitch Marner, Vegas Golden Knights (Sergei Belski-Imagn Images)<\/p>\n

The comments were framed as praise for Vegas, but many interpreted them as a pointed remark aimed at his old squad in Toronto. During his years with the Maple Leafs, the team frequently faced criticism<\/a> for fracturing under pressure. If things didn\u2019t come easily for the Maple Leafs, they buckled, and constant playoff disappointments led to infighting, often bringing on visible tension, finger-pointing, and emotional outbursts for the world to see on camera. <\/p>\n

Marner often found himself on the receiving end of teammates\u2019 frustration. A memorable viral clip captured Nylander telling him on the bench, \u201cGrow up, bro, this isn\u2019t junior hockey.\u201d It became a huge issue in Toronto (as many storylines tend to do), but that moment underscored deeper issues that were speculated to be one of the catalysts for Marner wanting out. <\/p>\n

Within the core group of Marner, Nylander, and Matthews, Marner often felt like the outsider. All the way back to his contract negotiations, much of what happened with him in Toronto seemed like a reactionary, often emotional response. He needed a change, and he jumped on it when his contract situation allowed him to play his card and force Toronto into a trade. <\/p>\n

Not Shockingly, Marner Has Excelled in Vegas<\/p>\n

Now thriving in a different setting, Marner appears relieved. His not-so-subtle shot was just his way of reminding everyone that the grass can be greener on the other side. Elliotte Friedman noted on the 32 Thoughts podcast<\/a>: <\/p>\n

\u201cI think the decreased intensity of the spotlight is a huge thing. I think the fact that he joined a team with a number of battle-tested and playoff-successful players is another factor. You know, he\u2019s obviously fits in so well with Stone, Eichel, and since William Karlsson\u2019s come back, and all the role players who know what it takes to win. I think that\u2019s a huge thing.\u201d<\/p>\n

Friedman added, \u201c\u2026but I think the distance he put between himself and his home base was another huge factor in this and one that should not be underestimated.\u201d<\/p>\n

That a change of scenery \u2014 and more importantly, different teammates \u2014 has unlocked a better version of Marner. His comments and continued thanks to his current teammates, contrasted with the quicker-to-fracture Leafs locker room he left behind, are having a huge impact on his chances of winning the Conn Smythe Trophy this season. <\/p>\n

Not surprisingly, he\u2019s taking the opportunities given to remind everyone that he might not have been the issue in Toronto. Maybe he\u2019ll never say it like Nazem Kadri<\/a> did when he won the Cup and called out teams that gave up on him. It doesn\u2019t mean Marner isn\u2019t thinking it. <\/p>\n

Right after the Colorado Avalanche won the 2022 Stanley Cup in Game 6 against the Tampa Bay Lightning, Kadri said<\/a>: \u201cFor everyone that thought I was a liability in the playoffs, you can kiss my a\u2013.\u201d<\/p>\n

Will Marner Pull a Kadri?<\/p>\n

So, is Marner right to start laying in jabs? In many ways, yes. The Maple Leafs have long been accused of creating their own problems through internal bickering and difficulty maintaining unity when games get ugly. They\u2019ve continued to do so with Marner gone. And while he was there, Marner endured plenty of heat from fans, media, and teammates. <\/p>\n

His decision to call attention \u2014 even subtly \u2014 to a healthier situation in Vegas feels earned after years in Toronto.<\/p>\n

Will his jabs ever turn into a knockout punch? Time will tell. Vegas has one more series to win. So too, he doesn\u2019t seem to be that kind of person. Still, vindication changes things, and if he wins the Stanley Cup, Marner will certainly feel vindicated. <\/p>\n

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