The Toronto Maple Leafs fanbase is buzzing with controversy once again, and this time, Mitch Marner finds himself at the center of a storm he didn’t create.

Just as the NHL regular season prepares to kick off, a fresh wave of criticism has engulfed Marner, fueled by Connor McDavid’s surprising contract extension with the Edmonton Oilers.

While Marner has always been a lightning rod for passionate debate in Toronto, recent events have reignited old grievances and sparked new questions about loyalty, value, and the true cost of superstardom.

As McDavid’s decision to sign a modest deal sent shockwaves across the league, fans couldn’t help but draw comparisons to Marner’s lucrative contracts and past negotiations.

The chatter has only intensified, with social media ablaze and heated discussions spilling into every corner of the hockey world. Is Marner truly deserving of the scrutiny, or is he simply a convenient target for frustrated fans? And how will these ongoing narratives impact his legacy—and the Maple Leafs’ future?

With emotions running high and the regular season about to begin, the drama surrounding Mitch Marner is far from over. What really lies beneath the outrage, and how will it shape the team’s journey this year? The answers may surprise you.

Toronto Maple Leafs forward Mitch Marner

Photo credit: Imagn Images

Former Toronto Maple Leafs forward Mitch Marner is catching a whole lot of flak right now, and it is all because of Connor McDavid’s new extension with the Edmonton Oilers.

Mitch Marner is one of those players that Toronto Maple Leafs fans will always have smoke for, no matter what happens. Years can pass, and there will still be pockets of the fanbase talking about him.

Over the course of the summer, Marner found himself drawing the ire of Maple Leafs fans, especially as he accused them of doxxing him and putting his family at risk.

Now, the forward is back in the Maple Leafs news cycle, and it’s not even his fault. Instead, it is because of Connor McDavid’s two-year extension with the Edmonton Oilers.

Instead of signing for $17 million per season like Kirill Kaprizov, the Oilers captain opted to sign for $12.5 million, thus giving the Oilers tons of cap space.

Mitch Marner compared to Connor McDavid

This subsequently led to discourse about how, on numerous occasions, players like Mitch Marner took advantage of the Leafs organization and squeezed them for every penny.

Weird, was told you should actually milk your organization for every last penny, underperform in every big game, and then cry foul that fans are mad.

Even with the Las Vegas Golden Knights, Marner is only making $500K less than McDavid is, which just goes to show where his priorities are.

Going forward, you have to wonder if Maple Leafs fans will finally leave Marner alone at some point. While these dunks do feel good, it gets to a point where enough is enough.

The regular season is set to begin on October 8th, and we are just happy to see some NHL hockey on our television screens.

Whether or not the Leafs are able to get over the Marner betrayal, still remains to be seen.