Mitch Marner’s focus on winning Stanley Cup, not on ‘dark moments’

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Published Jun 01, 2026  •  2 minute read

Vegas Golden Knights winger Mitch Marner. Photo by David Becker /The Associated Press

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Mitch Marner may or may not elaborate about “dark moments” in his hockey career.

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The subject came up on Monday in Raleigh, N.C., where the Vegas Golden Knights and Carolina Hurricanes held court on media day, with Game 1 of the Stanley Cup final on tap Tuesday night at the Lenovo Center.

Marner made the comment about having dark moments in his career last week after the Golden Knights eliminated the Colorado Avalanche in four games in a Western Conference final sweep.

He didn’t want to go deeper on the issue on Monday.

“I’ll talk about that in the coming weeks, if it happens,” Marner told media in Raleigh. “Right now, I’m just focused on getting (to) the job at hand and excited to start this up.”

It wasn’t clear whether Marner meant he would do so only if the Golden Knights win the Stanley Cup, or at all.

Apparently, though, some things that happened during his time with the Maple Leafs are off-limits regardless. Asked about almost becoming a member of the Hurricanes — Marner would not waive his no-movement clause last season to agree to a trade to Carolina, which would have landed Mikko Rantanen in Toronto — he would not go there.

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“I’m not a guy who lives in the past,” Marner said. “I’m in the present, I’m here in the moment.”

Links to Maple Leafs intact

Some of Marner’s ties to Toronto remain. He said that among those he has talked to through the season are former Leafs teammates Jake Muzzin and Kyle Clifford, who work in Toronto’s player development department.

Not surprisingly, Marner had good things to say about Hurricanes goalie Frederik Andersen from their days together in Toronto.

“Freddie was one of the guys when I first came into the league that was very open and very inviting to me,” Marner said. “He was one of the guys who brought me in and made me feel comfortable since Day 1.”

Vegas general manager Kelly McCrimmon was asked during media day about Marner’s fit with the Golden Knights.

“I think the change has helped him, but I think our team is deeper and a better team than what he had played on in Toronto,” McCrimmon said. “Not that Toronto didn’t have really good teams, but you have to have that depth throughout your roster because to go through three rounds or hopefully four rounds, everybody has to take their turn.

“Mitch is playing with tremendous confidence. He is really savouring the moment.”

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