As the dust settles on one of the most dramatic off-seasons in recent Toronto Maple Leafs history, the conversation around Mitch Marner’s departure continues to spark debate and reflection.

Once a cornerstone of the franchise and a fan favorite, Marner’s exit has been met with a mix of support and criticism, both from within the hockey world and the passionate Toronto fan base.

This summer, a growing chorus of former Maple Leafs, including notable enforcers, have come forward to defend Marner, challenging the narrative of his supposed lack of commitment and highlighting the intense scrutiny he faced throughout his tenure.

With Marner now set to start a new chapter in Vegas, the story of his time in Toronto—and the way he was treated by fans and media alike—remains a hot topic.

In this evolving saga, voices like Matt Martin’s add new perspective, reminding everyone that behind the headlines and stats, there are real players with real emotions, navigating the pressures of one of hockey’s most demanding markets.

Toronto Maple Leafs teammates Mitch Marner and Matt Martin having a little fun during pre-game warmups.

Photo credit: Aaron Doster – Imagn Images

Mitch Marner has had plenty of players speaking up to support him wanting out of Toronto, and now another ex-Maple Leafs enforcer has joined the cause.

A common theme this summer involving former players of the Toronto Maple Leafs has been the unfair treatment that they believe Mitch Marner has received from the media and the fan base, with many expressing their support for Marner.

After having been unable to succeed for nearly a decade, Marner was one of many star players criticized for the team’s lack of success. However, things really took a turn when he essentially blocked a trade that would have brought Mikko Rantanen to Toronto at the trade deadline.

Nevertheless, those that have played with Marner have nothing but great things to say about him, and have routinely come to his defense by claiming the fanbase was a little too critical. Ryan Reaves was one of those players, and now we can add Matt Martin to the list as well.

Appearing as a guest on the ‘Cam & Strick Podcast’, the former Leafs enforcer talked about a variety of things before touching on his time in Toronto and how he believes Marner was unfairly treated at the end of his tenure.

One of the main criticisms that Marner faced was that sometimes it looked like he didn’t care or that he played with a lackadaisical attitude. However, Martin believes there’s another side that we never really saw.

“Ultimately, I think he poured his heart into that thing, I do believe that, I think he really wore it when he took a lot of criticism when they didn’t get the job done… I think he cares greatly about the team and the game. I think it’s hard on him that they didn’t get it done and the amount of criticism he took on that and I think they exhausted that whole set-up… but I know he loved the Leafs, loved playing for the Leafs, and he really wanted to get the job done.”

Marner leaves the organization as one of the top point-getters in franchise history. However, when it came to the post-season, he was unable to propel his game to the same lofty heights.

Now with Vegas, he will be joining a team that is built to win it all, whereas his former club in Toronto will be looking to rebrand themselves after a franchise-altering off-season has them looking very different on paper.