Mitch Marner comments on the turbulence of playing in a market like Toronto, with the expectations so high

Sometimes as fans of the game, we forget that athletes are just normal people who put their pants on one leg at a time just like everyone else - while also honing exceptional talents in a specific area, in this case, hockey. The bigger the market, the more pressure that comes with it, but when you're making large sums of money, sympathy and empathy flies out the window.

Nevertheless, it's always an honour for players to play for prestigious and iconic teams and Mitch Marner understands the good, the bad, and the ugly of being apart of the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Marner grew up in the Toronto area, so he knows everything that comes from not only being a player in the biggest market in the hockey world but also as a fan. Speaking with Mike Zeisberger at NHL.com this weekend, Marner talked about what it's like playing for such a storied franchise with high expectations and "ruthless" supporters:


The core of the Maple Leafs have been under the microscope for years and with only one series win to their name, the pressure mounts each and every year. Marner understands that and while the Leafs possess one of the most potent mix of forwards in the NHL, they just can't seem to figure it out in crunch time:


While their second round defeat to the Florida Panthers still stings, all the focus has since shifted to the contracts for pending UFAs in 2024, Auston Matthews and William Nylander.

The Leafs were reportedly not close with Nylander's ask - which has prompted incessant trade rumours - and it has been mentioned numerous times that Matthews will not sign before Nylander. In terms of how Marner feels about both of the aforementioned fellow Leafs stars, he revealed that he has taken more of a "friend first, teammate second" approach with them as they try to navigate the sometimes turbulent waters of the business side of the game.

For more on Marner, you can check out the full article provided in the link below: