It’s been a year since Mitch Marner demanded a sign-and-trade to the Vegas Golden Knights, and for many in the Toronto Maple Leafs ecosystem, he’s out of sight, out of mind. Marner returned against the Maple Leafs to a large chorus of boos, mixed in with some cheers, after leaving the organization under largely acrimonious terms. Both parties have moved on, but it appears that Marner’s agent, Darren Ferris, is willing to relive the past.

Ferris appeared on The PuckPedia Hockey Show to discuss a number of topics, including offer sheets, Bowen Byram’s new deal with the Chicago Blackhawks and more, but his commentary on Marner should raise a few eyebrows in Toronto, and across the hockey world.

“He’s really enjoying it there,” Ferris said of Marner. “He’s got a clear mind. He’s able to focus on hockey. It’s unfortunate in Toronto, the way the things they went. When he first signed with the Leafs, on his entry-level (contract) they did not want him to have performance bonuses in there. Mitch decided he would help the team out, they asked him to. I had some pressures from guys who were working for the London Knights, and also working for the Leafs.

“Mitch told me, Darren, I want to sign this. Against my wishes, they did. They promised, nobody get him, and they didn’t fulfill that. He soon found out that a promise isn’t in the contract, isn’t a promise. Nobody talks about Mitch did the team a favour back then. There was a lot of misinformation out there that transpired. To this day, people say he didn’t show up to training camp. He did, he didn’t miss a day of training camp. It just kept spiralling into misinformation, that made him a villain here in this city. I think the majority of people who support him, but there are always those people who are fanatic about it.”

It’s certainly odd for Ferris to be fixated on Marner’s contract negotiations, seven years removed from it. Marner signed a six-year extension with the Maple Leafs in September 2019 and remained as one of the faces of the franchise. He would’ve certainly become one of the all-time great Leafs, if he had signed a new deal with the club after the 2024-25 campaign Marner effectively bet on himself entering the final year of his Maple Leafs’ tenure, and played the worst two games of his career on home ice during a second-round elimination at the hands of the Florida Panthers in 2025. It was revealed after the year ended that Marner had already targeted the Golden Knights for the better part of a year.

“As time went on, he became the focus of everything,” Ferris said. “Scrutinized for every game, him and his family criticized for every loss, receiving threats on social media, which was disturbing. You got to remember, Mitch was carjacked in Toronto. Every time the team came up short, he was the one singled out. Hockey is a team game, you can’t pinpoint one person. This is the person who had the most playoff points on the team and played through a fractured ankle in the Boston series. He really bled for that team. He was never protected by his organization, in my opinion.”

We’re not going to spoil the entire interview from Ferris, who touches on a wide range of topics. And while it’s natural for an agent to defend their client in public, it appears that Ferris is trying to create new animus with the Maple Leafs organization, while treading on an old topic. You can never go home again and Marner is persona non grata in the City of Toronto, in large part due to the advice he received from his camp during two contract negotiations.

THE OFFSEASON SOCIAL CLUB HAS ARRIVED! The new era of Nation Gear starts here. Introducing the Nation Gear x Levelwear Offseason Social Club Collection — a limited edition collection built for the fans who know the sports lifestyle doesn’t stop. Designed for golf rounds, patio hangs, weekend trips, and every plan in between, this collection blends premium performance with everyday leisure. It’s versatile enough to dress up, comfortable enough to live in, and made for wherever the offseason takes you. Because being a sports fan isn’t a season — it’s a personality. Welcome to the club. Shop the Offseason Social Club now. nationgear.ca