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Mark Stone blames narratives around Mitch Marner on Maple Leafs: ‘I think it’s a Toronto thing’
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Photo credit: © Geoff Burke-Imagn Images
Michael Coyle
Feb 19, 2026, 06:00 ESTUpdated: Feb 20, 2026, 09:59 EST
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Team Canada needed a hero. Tied 3-3 heading to overtime after 60 minutes against Czechia, the pressure was on the powerhouse Canadians to move on to the semi-finals at the 2026 Winter Olympics. 
After Connor McDavid, Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar finished up the first shift of overtime, Macklin Celebrini, Mitch Marner and Thomas Harley came over the boards as the second trio selected. Celebrini moved his way to center ice before dropping the puck to Marner, who worked his way through all three Czech skaters, before finishing off the solo effort by lifting a backhand past netminder Lukáš Dostál, giving Team Canada a 4-3 overtime win. 
For the second time in two years, Marner scored in three-on-three overtime to give Canada a win on the world stage. Last year at the Four Nations Faceoff, Marner scored to defeat Sweden 4-3 in Canada’s tournament-opening game. Marner’s heroics weren’t done yet at the Four Nations, as he set up McDavid in overtime to give Canada a 3-2 win, picking up the primary assist on one of the biggest goals in Canada’s hockey history. 
Much had been made during Marner’s tenure as a member of the Toronto Maple Leafs about his inability to perform in the playoffs, Game 7s, or when the games needed a big time play. Marner’s linemate at the Olympics, and teammate with the Vegas Golden Knights, Mark Stone, felt the narrative surrounding Marner wasn’t a true representation of the former Maple Leaf. 
“As a teammate, I haven’t experienced that,” Stone said to Sportsnet’s Luke Fox postgame. “4 Nations, he gets a huge overtime goal for us, makes an incredible play for the winner. “Then tonight, when we need him the most, he makes the play. So, I think it’s a Toronto thing.” 
The “Toronto thing” Stone is referring to comes with the lack of success Marner and the Maple Leafs have experienced in the playoffs, more specifically, Game 7s. In six career Game 7s, Marner has recorded only two assists, to go along with a plus-minus rating of minus-7. 
While some Maple Leaf fans will never forgive Marner for that output, his showings wearing the Canadian Maple Leaf across his chest has been nothing to scoff at. In eight career games, between the Four Nations and Olympics, Marner has recorded two goals and six assists, with three of those points coming in elimination games. 
With gold aspirations on both the players’ and fans’ minds alike, the grudge against Marner may be set aside for the time being for Maple Leaf fans, as all eyes shift to Team Canada’s pursuit of gold in Milano Cortina. 
Canada takes on Finland in the semi-finals on Friday morning. Puck drop is set for 10:40 a.m. EST. 

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