Reporter says Mitch Marner had private security harass media members

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TJ Tucker
May 8, 2024 (9:17)

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During a podcast, James Mirtle, senior managing editor of The Athletic NHL, said he heard that Mitch Marner had reporters harassed by private security

A lot has been said about Mitch Marner and his future with the Toronto Maple Leafs since David Pastrnak of the Boston Bruins scored the overtime goal in game 7 Saturday night that knocked Marner and his teammates out of the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs. Marner has taken a ton of heat from fans and analysts for seemingly not working hard enough to stop the goal from happening, while many are suggesting he be traded immediately. It's a lot of pressure to take, and one report says there are strange things happening in Toronto.

On The Leaf Report, James Mirtle, senior managing editor of The Athletic NHL, said a battle has been taking place between Marner and his camp, and reporters for a long time. Mirtle, who added he himself has been blackballed by Marner's camp, said there is a lot of "sensitivity" about what gets out in the media and how he is portrayed. He also said he heard at one point that Marner had hired private security to "harass reporters."

"Regular season he's been a great, great player, and I think we've written that. But there's such a sensitivity there. And, so you hear about all these feuds going on, and you hear about he's got private security people that harass media people, and there's just, there's really weird stuff that's going on."

The conversation was about whether Marner will be traded this offseason, or whether he's even equipped to handle the pressure that comes with playing in Toronto. Mirtle said Marner has many people in his ear.

"I wrote at one point, four or five years ago, maybe not that long, a column about how Mitch Marner doesn't deserve this cloud that's hanging over him in Toronto. And, it's being created by the people around him. But, I don't know, I think you're 27, you need to have some agency and get control of it, and it doesn't feel like that's going to happen."

Mirtle also said he believes Marner fully expected to be traded away from the Maple Leafs last season before his full no-movement clause kicked in in 2023-24. And, he doesn't believe Marner was fully opposed to that.

POLL
MAI 8 \| 493 ANSWERS Reporter says Mitch Marner had private security harass media members Will Mitch Marner agree to be traded away from the Toronto Maple Leafs before his contract is up?
Yes	325	65.9 %
No	116	23.5 %
Not sure	52	10.5 %
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