Canadian TV Host BLASTS Mitch Marner Over “Dark Moments” Comment Following Golden Knights’ WCF Triumph

Mitch Marner spent 9 seasons with the Toronto Maple Leafs and joined the Vegas Golden Knights ahead of the 2025-26 season.

Canadian TV Host BLASTS Mitch Marner Over “Dark Moments” Comment Following Golden Knights’ WCF Triumph

Mitch Marner (Image via ClutchPoints)

In Short
  • Mitch Marner faced criticism for his "dark moments" comment after the Golden Knights' WCF victory.
  • A TV host called out Marner for referencing his past with the Maple Leafs.
  • Marner has had a successful postseason with the Golden Knights, leading the league in points while reaching the Stanley Cup Final.

On Tuesday, Mitch Marner made some huge comments after the Vegas Golden Knights won the Western Conference Final. The forward expressed that he has had some “dark moments” in his career. A Canadian TV host blasted him for this comment.

Marner, the Canadian international, was the talk of the hockey world before the start of the 2025-26 season. Last season, he was in the final year of his 6-year contract that he signed with the Toronto Maple Leafs in 2019.

The forward kept on declining extensions from the team. In the end, he agreed to a sign-and-trade deal and signed an 8-year, $96 million deal and joined the Golden Knights.

This brought an end to his 9-year stay with his hometown team. The ‘Core 4‘ era of the Maple Leafs also ended with Marner’s exit.

In his debut season with the Golden Knights, Marner has reached the Stanley Cup Final. On Tuesday, the Las Vegas-based side took down the Colorado Avalanche 2-1 in Game 4 and completed a sweep of the Presidents’ Trophy winners.

While speaking with Sportsnet’s Shawn McKenzie after their win, Marner mentioned that there had been some “dark moments” in his career and thanked his family for their support.

There’ve been some dark moments in my hockey career, really. Some tough moments and my parents have been beside me, my wife’s been beside me, so many friends and family.

Mitch Marner said

Despite having the likes of Marner, Auston Matthews, William Nylander, and John Tavares, the Maple Leafs struggled in the playoffs. In Marner’s 9-year span, they only won 2 playoff series. The 29-year-old had been subjected to some criticism following the failures of the Toronto-based side.

Marner’s comments on Tuesday did not sit well with some. While reacting to this on The Sid Seixeiro Show, TV Host Sid Seixeiro blasted him. He brought up Marner’s playoff performances and claimed that the criticism was justified.

Let’s talk about dark times. When you have one playoff goal in 26 games … yeah there’s going to be criticism. Mitch Marner quote we’re treated like gods in this city. Now all of a sudden he’s had a lot of dark times in his career. His name is Mitch Marner not Mitch Martyr. The victimization ends here with me and I’m not going to keep my mouth shut about it.

Sid Seixeiro said regarding Mitch Marner

In his tenure with the Maple Leafs, Marner scored 13 goals and had 50 assists (63 points) in 70 playoff games. This year, he has 7 goals and 14 assists (21 points) in 16 playoff games for the Golden Knights.

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Veteran Toronto journalist takes a shot at Mitch Marner over his “dark moments” comment

Mitch Marner ruffled some feathers on Tuesday following his “dark moments” comment. A veteran Toronto journalist took a shot at him for these words.

Mitch Marner
Mitch Marner (Image via TSN)

In his piece for the Toronto Sun, columnist Steve Simmons aimed at Marner. While dropping his name, Simmons said that Marner could not help but refer to his former team’s name.

Poor Mitch Marner. He can’t help himself. On the greatest night of his career, with his Vegas Golden Knights putting on a clinic for the hockey ages, on his way to his first Stanley Cup final, poor Marner needed to reference the dark days in Toronto.

Steve Simmons wrote about Mitch Marner

Simmons further expressed that Marner could not allow himself to celebrate reaching the final and could not stop himself from being a “sour” Leaf.

Last season, Marner recorded 102 points in the regular season with the Maple Leafs. He thus became the first winger in franchise history to score more than 100 points.

The team finished 1st in the Atlantic Division. They then lost 4-3 in the second round series against the Florida Panthers after being 2-0 up. The Panthers went on to win their second straight Stanley Cup after defeating the Edmonton Oilers.

Marner and the Golden Knights will face either the Montreal Canadiens or the Carolina Hurricanes in the Stanley Cup Final. On Wednesday, the Hurricanes won Game 4 and took a 3-1 lead in the Eastern Conference Final.

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