Former Coach Blasts Maple Leafs Superstar After Losing Comments

The leading scorer on the Toronto Maple Leafs is getting heat for comments he made following a tough loss.

Jan 9, 2025; Raleigh, North Carolina, USA; Toronto Maple Leafs right wing Mitch Marner (16) takes a shot against the Carolina Hurricanes during the second period at Lenovo Center. Mandatory Credit: James Guillory-Imagn Images / James Guillory-Imagn Images

The Toronto Maple Leafs have lost by three goals in each of their last two games, including a recent 3-0 shut out at the hands of the drama-filled Vancouver Canucks. Not only did the Maple Leafs get shut out by the Canucks, but they also only managed 20 shots on goal, one of their lowest totals of the 2024-25 season.

Pretty much everyone was disappointed with the Maple Leafs’ effort as they put together one of their worst games of the season. One key superstar, however, was happy with how the Maple Leafs played despite the defeat.

“I thought we played well,” Mitch Marner said. “Last couple of days we’ve been giving up plays to teams who aren’t missing on them.”

These comments from Marner have caused a stir, and for good reason. Marner may still be leading the team in scoring, but he has just one goal in the last nine games and is a minus-seven in the last two outings.

According to former NHL coach Bruce Boudreau, those kinds of comments from Marner wouldn’t fly if he was leading that team.

“I wouldn’t have been happy, I can tell you right now,” Boudreau said on TSN. “Showing up the coach like that is not a good thing.”

Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube was extremely unhappy with the Maple Leafs performance against the Canucks saying their effort “wasn’t enough.”

Boudreau said he as a head coach would have to have a personal conversation with Marner to understand where those comments came from.

“I would have pulled him inside and said ‘Mitch, what do you really mean by that?’” Boudreau said. “’Are you just trying to be a smartass in saying that? Or do you think we really played up to the standard that we have made?’”

Boudreau continued to lay into Marner for his comments saying that even if Marner did believe the Maple Leafs played well, immediately after a 3-0 loss is not the time or place to let that be known.

“If you thought we played good, let’s review the tape tomorrow,” Boudreau said. “Because that wasn’t a very good effort.”

The Maple Leafs are still atop the Atlantic Division, but their regular season success doesn’t mean anything. With eight years of playoff failures, the Toronto fan base is hungry for a Stanley Cup run.

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