\u201cBut that wasn\u2019t the player they got in the postseason, at least not often enough, and certainly not in the biggest of games,\u201d he wrote.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn the [2025] playoffs, the Leafs wormed their way around the Ottawa Senators in the first round and built up a 2-0 series lead against the Panthers only to fritter it away in devastating fashion. Marner again failed to produce when the Leafs needed him most,\u201d Siegel wrote in a\u00a0different article<\/a>.<\/p>\n Mark Stone, his teammate with the Vegas Golden Knights, disagreed with the sentiments that Marner wasn\u2019t a \u2018clutch\u2019 player.<\/p>\n \u201cAs a teammate, I haven\u2019t experienced that,\u201d he said after Marner lifted Canada to a 4-3 overtime victory on Wednesday. \u201c[At] 4 Nations, he gets a huge overtime goal for us [against Sweden], makes an incredible play for the winner [in the gold medal game]. Then tonight, when we need him the most, he makes the play.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cSo\u2026 I think it\u2019s a Toronto thing,\u201d Stone finished.\u00a0<\/p>\n Marner is in the middle of his first season with the Golden Knights. Thus, he hasn\u2019t yet gotten the opportunity to fully shed his playoff demons. But Stone brought up three separate \u2018big moments\u2019 where Marner came through for his team.<\/p>\n The first \u2018big moment\u2019 was Canada\u2019s first game at the 4 Nations tournament. Canada led 3-1 after 40 minutes, but suffered a third-period collapse. But in overtime, Marner answered the call and rescued Canada from disaster with a heroic solo-effort goal.<\/p>\n The second \u2018big moment\u2019 came just eight days later in the gold medal game at the 4 Nations tournament. Canada trailed 2-1 in the third period, but Marner set up Sam Bennett for a goal to force overtime. And in overtime, Marner again made a big play, finding Connor McDavid all alone in the slot for the game-winner.<\/p>\n The final\u2013 and arguably biggest\u2013 \u2018big moment\u2019 was a quarterfinal match between Czechia and Canada. After trailing 3-2, Canada scored late in the third period to force overtime. And in overtime, just like he did a year prior against Sweden at 4 Nations, Marner did it himself and scored to send Canada to the semifinals.<\/p>\n Calling Marner a player who can\u2019t produce in big moments simply isn\u2019t accurate.\u00a0<\/p>\n Maybe Mark Stone is right. Maybe it\u00a0is\u00a0a \u2018Toronto thing.\u2019<\/p>\n \t\t![\"avatar\"](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/hannah-kirkell-bio-pic-90x90.jpg\")
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