Watch: Analyst slams Leafs forward Mitch Marner's effort

Toronto Maple Leafs forward Mitch Marner Dan Hamilton-USA TODAY Sports

Watch: NHL analyst slams Leafs forward Mitch Marner for lack of effort

By Mike Santa Barbara | Last updated 4/27/24

When calling a player out for poor performance, most analysts, especially former players, do so as respectfully as possible. Then there's what Paul Bissonnette of TNT did during the second intermission of Game 4 between the Boston Bruins and Toronto Maple Leafs.

With the Leafs trailing the Bruins 3-0 and already down in the series 2-1, Bissonnette passionately ripped into forward Mitch Marner for his effort or lack thereof.

"Where's Mitch Marner? This is pathetic," Bissonnette said. "He doesn't deserve the ice he's getting right now. They need to sit him and set an example — I don't know if he's injured, but right now, that is unacceptable."

Biz just absolutely torched Mitch Marner's performance pic.twitter.com/OuD48EXI3r
— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) April 28, 2024

If burying Marner while dissecting his lackluster highlights wasn't enough, Bissonnette also took his issues with the Leafs forward to social media, where he called him out again.

Get Marner off the ice. I’ve seen enough. Unacceptable. He’s lost every single puck battle tonight. Lost it before the penalty. In complete no mans land on the PK. Enough is enough. Earn your ice.
— Paul Bissonnette (@BizNasty2point0) April 28, 2024

Perhaps Marner heard Bissonette's barbs or checked his phone during the break. Less than six minutes into the third period, he netted the Leafs' first goal in Game 4, firing a back-hander past Bruins netminder Jeremy Swayman.

MITCHELLY MARNER!!! pic.twitter.com/zKeeGk3eBw
— Toronto Maple Leafs (@MapleLeafs) April 28, 2024

One goal doesn't erase the moments in the series in which Marner has looked sluggish and sometimes disinterested. Nor does it excuse his drop in production, barring an unreported injury.

A 30-goal scorer the previous two seasons, Marner was well on his way to doing it for a third consecutive year this season (and in fewer games). However, while he continued to register points down the stretch, Marner went on a bit of a scoring drought, tallying only four goals over his final 20 regular-season contests.

Those struggles have continued in the postseason. Entering Game 4, Marner had recorded only one assist over the first three games despite averaging over 21 minutes of ice time.

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