Decorated NHL HHoFer backed Mitch Marner's controversial decision to force trade from Toronto Maple Leafs

Mitch Marner received heaps of backlash for his controversial decision to not re-sign with the Toronto Maple Leafs, and eventually move to the Vegas Golden Knights in a $96 million sign-and-trade deal, earlier this summer. The Ontario-native, was drafted fourth overall by the Maple Leafs in 2015, and up until this summer, had spent nine seasons with his hometown team, before deciding to pack his bags to go to Las Vegas, and start a new chapter.

During the 2020-21 seaason, Sharks legend and Hockey Hall of Famer, Joe Thorton played for the Maple Leafs, alongside Marner. Thorton was a former No. 1 overall pick by the Boston Bruins, but was shockingly traded to the San Jose Sharks mid-season in 2006.

Accoring to The Athletic's Dan Robson, Joe Thorton gave Marner a piece of his mind, before the latter made his final decision to leave Toronto.

“It’s going to give you a new perspective, a new mindset, and that’s always good. It’s never a bad thing, just to start fresh sometimes and turn a page,” Thornton said to Marner.

Joe Thorton was Mitch Marner's mentor and they have remained close friends, after Sharks legend's retirement in 2022. Marner invited Thorton and his family to his Muskoka cottage, to introduce them to his newborn son, Miles. The 28-year-old, who became a father for the first time in May, was amazed by the Hockey Hall of Famer's parenting skills.

“He was holding Miles, playing with him and feeding him, and his son and daughter were holding him and feeding him, too .... That’s the kind of dad you want to be,” said Marner.

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Mitch Marner "feels a lot lighter" leaving the Toronto Maple Leafs after facing intense scrutiny

Maple Leafs fanbase scrutized Mitch Marner throughout the years, especially due to his and the team's disappointing playoff performances. In his nine seasons in Toronto, Marner and the Maple Leafs' best playoff result was reaching the second round.

After leaving Toronto, Mitch Marner revealed in an interview, that his home address was leaked online, and that his family's safety was at risk, which forced the forward to hire private security outside his home for a certain duration of time after the Maple Leafs' loss to the Panthers in the second round of the 2025 playoffs.

“It feels a lot lighter, in a way. There were some dark times in the last couple of years,” said Marner.

All eyes will be on Mitch Marner when he travels to Toronto, for his first game against the Maple Leafs on Janurary 23, 2026, and his new team in the Vegas Golden Knights takes on Auston Matthews' revamped squad.