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Mitch Marner was reportedly upset with the Toronto Maple Leafs for the pettiest reason ever


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Alexander Cole
January 23, 2026  (8:42)
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Jan 17, 2026; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Vegas Golden Knights right wing Mitch Marner (93) controls the puck ahead of Nashville Predators left wing Erik Haula (56) during the first period at T-Mobile Arena.
Photo credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images

Former Toronto Maple Leafs winger Mitch Marner had some serious problems with the organization, and one of them actually had to do with Auston Matthews.

Mitch Marner is no longer with the Toronto Maple Leafs. In the end, he went to the Las Vegas Golden Knights, where he is currently thriving.
Having said that, the Leafs fanbase still dislikes him, and with the Golden Knights visiting Toronto today, there is no denying that some hard feelings will be explored.
Ahead of this matchup, Elliotte Friedman came through with a long piece about Marner's saga in Toronto, and there were some very interesting nuggets.

Mitch Marner resented Auston Matthews

At one point in the article, Friedman notes that there were numerous fractures in the relationship between Marner and the Leafs.
One of them just so happens to stem from the bonuses he never received on his entry-level contract. Lou Lamoriello refused to give out bonuses at the time.
However, when Auston Matthews got the bonuses a couple of years later, Marner was livid, and he was upset about it throughout the duration of his time in Toronto.
Per Friedman:
When Marner signed his entry-level contract, he did not get the full bonuses. Some have attributed this to Lou Lamoriello, who wouldn't allow them. Others disputed that, pointing out Lamoriello was hired five days before Marner signed, with the process far along. Toronto indicated it would be a cap team; declining bonuses would give flexibility. Twelve months later, Matthews got the full package on his entry-level deal.

The Maple Leafs were exasperated this was a thing years after it happened. They felt it wasn't a ton of money (relatively speaking) and Marner would be extremely well compensated in the aftermath. Incredibly, in 2024-25, it remained an occasional talking point.

Ultimately, this just goes to show that Marner was being difficult and didn't care about getting in the way of the Maple Leafs' business.
It's all incredibly petty stuff, and just goes to show that some times, guys just aren't worth the trouble and the headaches.
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Mitch Marner was reportedly upset with the Toronto Maple Leafs for the pettiest reason ever

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