Ryan Reaves Calls Out 'Ruthless' Maple Leafs Fans After Mitch Marner’s Exit

Ryan Reaves Calls Out ‘Ruthless’ Maple Leafs Fans After Mitch Marner’s Exit originally appeared on Athlon Sports.

Mitch Marner’s departure from the Toronto Maple Leafs after nine seasons wasn’t just about hockey, but about dealing with the team’s fan base.

According to Marner’s former teammate in Toronto, enforcer Ryan Reaves, Marner’s decision also had to do with how he was treated by Leafs Nation.

Appearing on “The Cam & Strick Podcast” on Tuesday, Reaves didn’t hold back when reflecting on Marner’s exit, and sided with the former Leafs winger.

“Mitchie earned the right to go wherever he wants,” Reaves said. “He’s dedicated a lot of his career—his whole career—to Toronto. A hometown guy. He’s poured everything he had into it. “

“Sometimes it’s just time to move on.”

Marner, who left Toronto ranked fifth all-time in the franchise’s scoring leaderboard with 741 points in 657 regular-season games, was sign-and-traded to Vegas right before free agency. In return, the Leafs landed Golden Knights center Nicolas Roy.

The move to Vegas saw Marner sign a huge eight-year, $96 million extension with the Golden Knights, instantly becoming the highest-paid player in Vegas’ history.

Reaves made it clear that public pressure from the biggest hockey market must have played a role in Marner’s decision.

“I think (Leafs fans) can be a little ruthless to him,” Reaves said. “I guess just because he’s the hometown guy, and sometimes fans want to point fingers at somebody.”

Vegas Golden Knights forward Mitch Marner while still playing for the Toronto Maple Leafs.Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Images

Reaves added that the Leafs’ fan base is deeply split between fans who root for the team and its players, and those who only care about winning, no matter what it takes, including calling out their own players.

“There are two sides to fans in Toronto,” Reaves said. “I think there’s the ones who just want to win so bad that they will drag anybody through the dirt, and loyal fans that just want to support the team.”

“Unfortunately, there’s a lot of fans there, so you get a lot of both. It’s tough for any player when you’re reading all the hate… It’s probably just frustrating.”

This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 9, 2025, where it first appeared.

Ryan Reaves Calls Out ‘Ruthless’ Maple Leafs Fans After Mitch Marner’s Exit

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