Veteran defenseman Zach Bogosian has come to the defense of Toronto Maple Leafs winger Mitch Marner, expressing frustration over the criticism Marner has faced. Speaking on the “Cam and Strick Podcast,” Bogosian expressed strong support for Marner, stating, “I’ll go to bat for Mitchy. I don’t understand why everyone is always up his ass about everything. I mean, that kid is such a good kid. He’s a good leader, 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, who played with Marner during the 2020-21 season after signing a one-year, $1 million contract with Toronto, emphasized Marner’s character and leadership qualities. He described Marner as a good person and teammate, noting, “I’ve played with a lot of guys, he is as good of a person and a teammate as I’ve ever seen. A lot of people give him shit about this and that and we haven’t done this, and it’s, like, well, he’s trying everything.”
The Maple Leafs experienced a disappointing playoff performance this past spring, losing to the Boston Bruins in the first round. The team has secured only one series win in the last eight years, with Marner receiving significant criticism from fans who are seeking changes within the team’s core.
In the seven-game series against the Bruins, Marner recorded one goal, three points, six hits, and one block. He has faced backlash for a perceived lack of physicality, but Bogosian argued that physical play is not Marner’s role. “He’s not going to run somebody over, that’s not his game,” Bogosian said. “What his game is, he’s going to out-think somebody. … A lot of those smart players, you never really see – Nikita Kucherov – get hit. He’s good at just not getting hit.”
Marner has been a consistent contributor for the Leafs despite the team’s postseason struggles. Since his debut in the 2016-17 season, he has accumulated 639 points in 576 regular-season games and leads the team with 50 points in 57 playoff games. As he enters the final season of a six-year contract worth $10.903 million annually, Marner remains eligible to sign an extension with the team.
Bogosian concluded his defense of Marner with a strong statement: “I’ll have his back every fucking day of the week, man. … Anyone that has something to say about him, you can fuck 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.”
