The Toronto Maple Leafs had an incredible 3-1 series comeback over the Boston Bruins in hand. Then they went, and Leafs’d it all up (yes, we’re making that a verb now). And well, of course, they did!
With their season on the line, with one unlucky and bad bounce capable of sending them home, the Maple Leafs got caught sleeping at the worst possible time in the early stages of overtime in Saturday night’s Game 7. Specifically, while various Toronto players froze while back-checking, it’s Mitch Marner’s that is the hardest to overlook.
That’s because he got caught puck-watching while his man, Boston’s David Pastrnak, skated right behind him to get in position for the game-winning goal. The sequence remains so brutal on every rewatch if you’re a Toronto fan:
Mitch Marner froze pic.twitter.com/sEimHZCW4q
— Tyler McGillick (@TylerRichard93) May 5, 2024
While Pastrnak deserves credit for the skillful finish — and yes, it was an unlucky bounce for Toronto — it’s hard not to wonder what happens if Marner doesn’t fall asleep at the wheel. These are the kinds of “little” plays that hockey players have no choice but to make if they want their team’s season to continue. Instead, in the biggest moment of the Maple Leafs’ season, Marner froze, and that was just enough to let the Bruins and Pastrnak sneak by.
(Note: Marner also had just three points in the seven-game series. He is a first-line player for Toronto. Yikes.)
Despite an incredibly talented core of players on paper, the Maple Leafs now have seven first-round losses in the postseason since 2017. The franchise has not advanced past the second round since 2002. With players like Marner making basic mistakes like this, it’s not too hard to see why this time of year remains a veritable torture chamber for Toronto fans.
NHL fans were naturally aghast over Marner’s effort on the Bruins’ game-winning goal:
Mitch Marner watching Pastrnak skate right by him on the OT winner pic.twitter.com/tziYG6QHLd
— Fitz (@FitzGSN_) May 5, 2024
Was this the last memory of Mitch Marner in a Leafs jersey…. 😵💫😬#leafsforever pic.twitter.com/gc3wFjLAhk
— Leafslatest (@Leafslatest) May 5, 2024
I don't ever want to see Mitch Marner play for the Maple Leafs ever again. I don't care about the fact that he scores 90 points. Please trade him for a haul and build a winning team. https://t.co/gEY8hLkxI9
— Sergei (@berezin_goal) May 5, 2024
Hockey players playing a Game 7 OT like it do or die.
Mitch Marner: pic.twitter.com/eskU0a5o9M
— Kraken Canada (@KrakenCanada) May 5, 2024
Mitch Marner this summer pic.twitter.com/N76rse2aUg
— Brian Neall (@BrianNeall) May 5, 2024
