Weekly Takes - Monday, May June 15th Edition
- RyanEakin
- Jun 15
- 3 min read
Weekly Takes - Monday, May June 15th Edition
It should not matter to the Maple Leafs, its fans, or those who cover the team that Mitch Marner performed as a playoff star in Vegas.
Why? Because he was not going to do so in Toronto, a place he created his own battles in and was checked out for at least the last two years.
It is no different from your toxic ex marrying someone years after your relationship ended. She was never going to marry you, and Marner was never going to perform in the springtime as a Leaf.
I am glad Leafs fans have revolted as it relates to the Marner storyline that has been created, however.
“Actually, he was a playoff performer in Toronto, here is the proof!”
He was a ghost in games one and five against the Blue Jackets in 2020, he choked in game six in Montreal in 2021, a ghost in round two vs Florida in 2023, horrendous when the team needed him the most against Boston in 2024, and awful from game four onwards against Florida in 2025.
All a fact. He is one of the greatest choke artists in Toronto sports history, right there with DeMar DeRozan in the modern era.
By the way, even in Marner’s best playoff run, he was a ghost in games five and six of the Stanley Cup Finals.
When it truly matters, when it was all on the line, he was still the biggest choker in the sport.
As for Carolina, winning the Cup was long overdue.
They have done everything right for years. They have won their big trades. They have nailed their big signings. They have won so many small moves.
Eric Tulsky is as good as any manager in the sport.
Speaking of Toronto sports history, the Oilers pursuing Mike Babcock is the truest sign of desperate organization.
They have tried everything with the core they have. This is their last chance to salvage this era and they are willing to hire a bad person and disgraced hockey coach to do so.
As for the Leafs coaching search, I am happy with their finalists, Patrick Roy aside.
Joe Pavelski is a risk, but one I am willing to take any day, Dallas Eakins is a smart hockey coach who has never coached a half-decent team, John Gruden has done wonders with the Marlies and has won everywhere he has gone, and Jay Woodcroft was the best head coach the Oilers had in the McDavid era.
Roy would be a spectacular hire for the media but I do not see the appeal at all from a hockey perspective.
As sad as it is, I think it is time for the Blue Jays to cut ways with Jeff Hoffman.
For as dominant as he will look nine times out of ten, the tenth appearance is just too much.
A manager cannot have someone in his bullpen that he has no faith in.
The Knicks, like the Raptors in 2019, showed there is no one way to build a championship team.
The NBA also showed the NHL that a hard-cap is not the best solution to creating parity. The NBA is now the league of parity.
I love the Rams trading for Myles Garrett.
You are trying to win a Super Bowl with a quarterback who may be in his last season. Draft picks do not matter.
Canada dominated in their opening game at the World Cup, but the process is not going to mean much the rest of the way if Jonathan David cannot score.
Canada’s biggest concern as the tournament moves on. They have to start Cyle Larin.
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