Yahoo Sports ‘I Don’t Understand Why Everyone Is Always Up His A** About Everything’: Former Maple Leafs Defenseman Zach Bogosian Defends Mitch Marner Amid Criticism
After the Toronto Maple Leafs came up short of expectations in the 2024 Stanley Cup it hasn’t been a secret that among the ‘Core Four,’ Marner has borne the brunt of the criticism, often being singled out as the latest ‘scapegoat,’ especially regarding his contract and perceived shortcomings in high-pressure situations.
Despite this, it’s clear that not everyone agrees with the narrative surrounding the star forward.
Former Maple Leafs and current Minnesota Wild defenseman Zach Bogosian joined the Cam and Strick Podcast on Tuesday, offering a strong defense of Marner – shedding light on the kind of teammate and person the winger truly is behind closed doors.
The conversation began with a broader question about where the Leafs stand in their pursuit of a championship. Bogosian, part of Toronto’s roster during the 2020-21 season, quickly turned the focus to Marner, who has been a key member in the team’s ‘Core Four’ alongside Auston Matthews, John Tavares, and William Nylander.
“I know that Toronto gets a lot of grief about how much they’re paying the big boys and taking up a chunk of the salary cap,” Bogosian began, addressing the debate about the Leafs’ roster construction. “But those guys deserve it, man. They’re all really good.”
When it came to Marner specifically, Bogosian didn’t mince words. “I’m going to bat for Mitchy. I don’t understand why everyone is always up his a** about everything. I mean, that kid is such a good kid, he’s a good leader, and he’s always trying to take care of everyone around the locker room. He’s obviously a great player, but it’s almost like he’s the scapegoat for everyone, like a lightning rod for everyone to say, ‘this is the problem.’”
Bogosian represents a portion of the fanbase that believes Marner is unfairly targeted, especially considering his production as a top NHL winger and the intense scrutiny he faces when the team falls short in the playoffs. To Bogosian, his feelings toward the 27-year-old are nothing but positive, both on and off the ice.
“I’ve played with a lot of guys and he is as good of a person and a teammate as I’ve ever seen. A lot of people give him sh** about this and that and we haven’t done this and it’s like, well, he’s trying everything,” Bogosian explained. “He’s such a good person, he’s a good leader like I said.”
“I’ll have his back every fu***** day of the week, man,” he reiterated. “That kid, he is the best. Anyone that has something to say about him, you can f*** off because he’s such a good person, they don’t know. Anybody that doesn’t know somebody, and decides they are going to rip him, get to know the person first.”
Zach Bogosian goes to bat for Mitch Marner #LeafsForever @CamandStrick pic.twitter.com/aUac8bSIzT
— Andy Strickland (@andystrickland) August 13, 2024
Bogosian didn’t just praise Marner’s character and leadership, which he believes often goes unnoticed, but he also addressed misconceptions about Marner needing to be more physical. He explained that physicality isn’t a part of Marner’s game and that he should receive more credit for the integral aspects of his playstyle that often get overlooked.
“He’s not going to run somebody over, that’s not his game. What his game is, he is going to outthink somebody, he’s going to outwork them in the sense of moving his feet, and getting around them,” said Bogosian. “I get there is a time and place to take a hit but a lot of those smart players, like you never really see (Nikita) Kuch get hit, you know what I mean? He’s good at just not getting hit.”
“Mitchy isn’t the biggest guy in the world. If I’m him and you see a guy like me coming to kill you, he probably doesn’t want that. He’s probably going to live to fight another day and make a play the next shift.”
Bogosian wasn’t the only one to defend Marner this offseason on the Cam and Strick Podcast. Hall of Famer Adam Oates delivered a similar defense after believing Marner was unjustly blamed following the club’s opening-round series loss to the Boston Bruins.
Oates said, “It's never one guy and I feel bad for [Marner] because he's in that market,” adding, “The game-winning goal, Pastrnak's goal, they're blaming him [Marner] and it's like, if anybody knows anything about hockey, they were in a neutral zone regroup. So F1 changed and he jumped over for F1, Pastrnak's not his responsibility at all.”
Despite speculation that the club would move on from the forward this offseason, it appears the 'Core Four' will remain intact for at least one more season.
As for Marner, he is entering the final season of a six-year, $65.41 million contract and holds a no-movement clause. However, his future with the team remains uncertain beyond the 2024-25 campaign.
The overarching opinion on Marner in the Toronto market remains divided. As the Leafs embark on what could be a defining season, Marner’s presence will be crucial in determining how far this team can go, regardless of which way the ship steers.
In 69 regular season games in 2023-24, Marner had 26 goals, 56 assists, and 85 points before adding three points (1G, 2A) in the postseason.
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