Marner Shows Markets Have Pros & Cons

The Stanley Cup Final in the past two seasons displayed the highs and lows of the extreme markets. The Edmonton market can run players out of town, and the pressure gets to some (see the Stuart Skinner trade). Yet, when they won, the highs were unmatched, and the fans couldn’t embrace them enough. Florida, meanwhile, has the tax advantage but it is also a place where players aren’t in a pressure-packed environment. They can ignore the outside noise because there isn’t a lot of noise to worry about. 

Dive Deeper: The Most Hated Ex-Leaf Returns

Mitch Marner week is in the past. It saw him play with the Vegas Golden Knights in their home arena, a game where the boos from Toronto Maple Leafs fans were heard. Then came the big game, his return to Toronto, where the fans were ready. The fans weren’t just venting out on an offseason where he left; they were venting on nine years of frustration. He was a player they wanted to embrace, and instead, made him the scapegoat. 

Marner Wasn’t Built for the Toronto Market 

Marner was supposed to be the ideal success story, a homegrown talent who grew up a Maple Leafs fan. The Maple Leafs were a rebuilding team when they drafted him, and he not only made the team but became a part of the core. 

His personality didn’t work in the pressure-packed market that is Toronto. Wherever he went, drama followed, and it allowed Leafs fans to turn him into a polarizing figure. The big markets in sports make one player the lightning rod, and it’s usually the emotional player who reacts to the highs and lows. Fans often criticize Connor McDavid for being a robotic and boring star. In Edmonton, those personalities are built to withstand the rough times. It’s why William Nylander is the ideal personality because he’s a fan favorite but also unfazed by the outside pressure. Marner’s emotion made him a star on the ice but off the ice, he was a target when things fell apart. 

The highs are unmatched in Toronto, where a deep playoff run and a Stanley Cup title turn players into legends. The big markets demand players to deliver, and when they don’t, the fans let them hear it. When they do, they are loved forever. Marner was part of a nine-year run that never finished the job, and the failures will always be attached to him, moreso than the other core players. 

Will Marner Ultimately Enjoy The Opposite Extreme?

Marner’s had growing pains with the Golden Knights. He’s trying to fit in a new city and with new teammates, notably with a different top six that doesn’t have the familiar scoring touch he had with Auston Matthews. Yet, it’s gone unnoticed because he’s playing in Vegas, a contrast to Toronto, where every game is scrutinized. 

For Marner, this is the best thing since he doesn’t have the weight of a fanbase on him. Instead, he just focuses on his game and not the pressure. It’s what a lot of players enjoy about Florida, Vegas, and even San Jose (which doesn’t have a tax advantage), as they have less pressure and, as a plus, better weather. 

In the long run, Marner might miss the good times in Toronto. The tribute and his reaction to it showed that he wants to put it in the past but the memories are still fresh. He might have a deep playoff run or two with the Golden Knights and possibly win a Cup. That said, it won’t be the same as what could have been. 

He Shows There Isn’t One Ideal Destination

These moves, where a star player leaves a big market and heads to the South, West, or Southwest of the league, always make fans wonder. Is it better to play away from the pressure and in the warm weather, where golfing is a common occurrence after practice? Or, where hockey is king and a good career results in a statue? 

The bottom line is that every player is wired differently. Carey Price was built for Montreal and is viewed as an icon, someone the fans always profusely cheer when he makes an appearance, even though he didn’t win a Cup like the other Hall of Fame goaltenders. It’s because his temperament allowed him to thrive in the best and worst of times. Marner wasn’t wired for Toronto from the start and might not be for Vegas either. But, Vegas is still a better spot for him, especially after his run with his hometown team.