There is sure to be a mixed reaction among Toronto Maple Leafs fans as former Leafs forward Mitch Marner, who now plays for the Vegas Golden Knights, was selected to play for Canada next month in Milano Cortina at the 2026 Winter Olympic Games.
Marner, who the Leafs drafted in 2015, 4th overall, had nine productive seasons in Toronto, where, as part of the so- called 'core four', this elite playmaker produced 221 goals and 741 points in 657 games until last summer when he became a Golden Knight.
Following last season, Marner, who was an unrestricted free agent, took the brunt of some heavy criticism on social media from fans and different Toronto media outlets for the team's disappointing early playoff exit against the Florida Panthers.