If you mention the words "Mitch Marner" in Toronto, you're going to get some visceral reactions. Fans will feel like they've been betrayed, watching their supposed friend turn his back on them. However, Toronto Maple Leafs star William Nylander had some revealing thoughts about Marner's true intentions as an NHL player in an interview with NHL.com.
"Not sure where that stuff comes from, but I don't think he was ever thinking of leaving ahead of time. I actually asked him during the season and he said he was concentrating on Toronto. I didn't want to press him on that and let him be because it was obviously on his mind, but his play was focused on helping us. Then I asked him after the season and he wasn't sure."William Nylander to NHL.com
While Maple Leafs fans might not be sold on Marner's intentions of leaving for the Golden Knights, Nylander vouched for him. He believed his fellow "Core Four" member was committed to winning with Toronto, doing whatever it took to bring them a Stanley Cup.
Sure, he might be gone from the organization and enjoying hot summers in Las Vegas. But that didn't mean he hated the team as a whole. Heck, the former first-round pick was from Markham, Ontario!
What does William Nylander's comments reveal about Mitch Marner?
For one, it shows that Marner is loyal to whatever team he plays for. It doesn't matter if it's with the Maple Leafs or the Golden Knights. The former first-round pick will do whatever it takes to win.
That's why he put up 102 points last season and had 75 assists. Both stat lines would've been enough for franchise records in Golden Knights history, making Marner one of the greatest single-season performers ever.
But it also reveals the work ethic that Bruce Cassidy and the Golden Knights will get once he's in town. Aside from being a two-way player, Marner has shown that he can carry a workload without any complications or problems. That's what made him such a sought-after free agent during the 2025 summer.
Jack Eichel needed a "wingman" (get it? He's a winger) to accompany him so the Golden Knights can compete with their division rivals. When your rivals are boasting Leon Draisaitl and Connor McDavid, you must do whatever it takes to get your best player some help. That person must have an astonishing work ethic to boot, doing whatever it takes to, well, help his team win.
If Marner didn't have such an amazing work ethic, he wouldn't get such an amazing deal, you know. That's partially why his former fellow "Core Four" member was so high on him as a person.
"And then, just being a friend on the side, just an incredible guy. I could always talk to him about whatever. He'll be missed. And for what he does on the ice, just an incredible player."William Nylander to NHL.com
Now that's a ringing endorsement, if I've ever heard one.