I'm happy to answer this:

Because he held out asking for a ridiculous salary demand, and when he finally showed up to play, he was franking horribly out of shape.

If you are demanding $8 million per year, you should be living in the gym until the paperwork gets done.
- Atomic Wedgie

He was apparently out of shape for all 4 months he played, until the ice surface got bigger, and then he miraculously became in shape in one week.

Kapanen will retire a Leaf
- TheMussel

kapanen will do what all Finn's who truly bleed blue do.

he will join team finland, in carolina.

- LeafnsNxt2Godlyns

I forgot the “ I’m just (frank)in with ya” emoji.

😁

Marner is 6'

There's a perception out there that he is short.

Light as hell? Yes.

But he isn't pint sized.
- Atomic Wedgie

I know - I was just making a point that smallerish skilled players could still make it back then.

He's young man, figured he could play himself into shape. He did start horribly, then seemed to have some bad puck luck. (Karma for holding out?)

Asking him to be a 3C is just stupid/stubborn coaching, which is what he was asked to do after Kadri was suspended.
- golfingsince

Somebody had to play centre.

FFS, it was the playoffs - you do what is asked of you.

He was apparently out of shape for all 4 months he played, until the ice surface got bigger, and then he miraculously became in shape in one week.
- aminnes

Who doesn't love a giant ice surface with a huge perimeter

Despite the bullpoop narrative spread by Simmons et al, Kessel was never out of shape.
- Atomic Wedgie

You can tell with your eyes he's out of shape. Either that or he's smuggling bubblewrap into the building every night. The fact he was the fittest Leaf is more of a reflection of the state of the franchise at the time and not an indication of Kessel's physical prowess imo.

Put Brett Hull in a room full of sumo's and he would be the slimmest

kapanen will do what all Finn's who truly bleed blue do.

he will join team finland, in carolina.
- Tumbleweed

But Carolina doesn't have a hockey team

look at the era that marner is playing in. if this were pre 2005 mitch marner probably would not have even made the nhl. he probably would have been simon gamache.
- LeafnsNxt2Godlyns

Simon Gamache still got a shot though, no?

For one, that’s besides the point and could be said about a number of players. Also, 15 years ago you start getting into comparing players from different eras. There were not many players with Marner’s skill set back then and I can name one right off that bat that was not only smaller (by 3 in), but drafted top 10 and have a relatively successful NHL career in the late 90s and early 2000s. Sergei Samsanov.
- RickJames77

a player like mitch marner has never been more manufactured by this league. they are basically playing high level shinny out there nowadays. the sacrifice of their body to win is far less and yet they want more money. it's laughable to me. but leaf fans keep paying for the insane ticket prices to watch a mere hockey game played on ice stamped with an nhl logo on it. i wonder how many tickets are corporate owned at this point. players similar to marner and johnny hockey out in calgary would never have made it in the 90's and early 2000's, but now the game has been overhauled from the roots up for the last decade and a half and here marner is. him da bestest!

But Carolina doesn't have a hockey team
- TheMussel

did they get swept away in a hurricane?

a player like mitch marner has never been more manufactured by this league. they are basically playing high level shinny out there nowadays. the sacrifice of their body to win is far less and yet they want more money. it's laughable to me. but leaf fans keep paying for the insane ticket prices to watch a mere hockey game played on ice stamped with an nhl logo on it. i wonder how many tickets are corporate owned at this point. players similar to marner and johnny hockey out in calgary would never have made it in the 90's and early 2000's, but now the game has been overhauled from the roots up for the last decade and a half and here marner is. him da bestest!
- LeafnsNxt2Godlyns

I agree the NHL has changed, but do not agree a player like Marner wouldn’t have made it or had a chance to make it back in the day. Paul Kariya? Also, Marner isn’t anywhere near as small as Gaudreau and like I said, Sergei Samsanov? Steve Sullivan’s another one.

Marner is 6'

There's a perception out there that he is short.

Light as hell? Yes.

But he isn't pint sized.
- Atomic Wedgie

it's because he looks like a wiry high school kid making more money than 95% of the continent.

You can tell with your eyes he's out of shape. Either that or he's smuggling bubblewrap into the building every night. The fact he was the fittest Leaf is more of a reflection of the state of the franchise at the time and not an indication of Kessel's physical prowess imo.

Put Brett Hull in a room full of sumo's and he would be the slimmest
- walshyleafsfan

phil kessel was just fine, he got run out of town by the media. he could be a fat (frank) if he scores 40 goals and point per game i'm cool with it.

Simon Gamache still got a shot though, no?
- RickJames77

but never truly made it, he was highly skilled offensive player though not lucky enough to be drafted 1st round because back in those days guys like him were 9th round picks.

Think how much more we could get in a trade (and more cap space) trading Greedy Mitch
- walshyleafsfan

One of the measuring sticks for a trade is which team gets the best player. Hard to imagine any Marner trade scenario in which he would not be the best player in the trade. I will respectfully disagree with you on this. There is not a single NHL d-man that I would trade Marner for. Dynamic talent, impossible to replace a 22 year old with the skill and determination of Marner.

but never truly made it, he was highly skilled offensive player though not lucky enough to be drafted 1st round because back in those days guys like him were 9th round picks.
- LeafnsNxt2Godlyns

Yes, but you said you’ve seen better players that never got a shot. I’m saying he did.

but never truly made it, he was highly skilled offensive player though not lucky enough to be drafted 1st round because back in those days guys like him were 9th round picks.
- LeafnsNxt2Godlyns

So you're basically railing against progress? Your largest bone of contention is that because they have reduced clutch and grab hockey and taken away dirty blind side hits, it has allowed for skilled players to excel and this is a bad thing?

You can watch hockey for hockey. You can watch the UFC to appreciate gladiator sports.

Yes, but you said you’ve seen better players that never got a shot. I’m saying he did.
- RickJames77

2007-08 Toronto Maple Leafs NHL 11 2 2 4

a player like mitch marner has never been more manufactured by this league. they are basically playing high level shinny out there nowadays. the sacrifice of their body to win is far less and yet they want more money. it's laughable to me. but leaf fans keep paying for the insane ticket prices to watch a mere hockey game played on ice stamped with an nhl logo on it. i wonder how many tickets are corporate owned at this point. players similar to marner and johnny hockey out in calgary would never have made it in the 90's and early 2000's, but now the game has been overhauled from the roots up for the last decade and a half and here marner is. him da bestest!
- LeafnsNxt2Godlyns

Gretzky was a similar player to Marner. He survived in a worse era.

I think MM would do fine.

(And NO I'm not saying MM is WG, just both are small/soft players that are hard to catch. And yes WG was small....6ft just like MM and probably 160lbs-ish when he first entered the league)

I agree the NHL has changed, but do not agree a player like Marner wouldn’t have made it or had a chance to make it back in the day. Paul Kariya? Also, Marner isn’t anywhere near as small as Gaudreau and like I said, Sergei Samsanov? Steve Sullivan’s another one.
- RickJames77

there were some small players back then but it was different. small players had to score or rack up points or they weren't going to last long because they were definitely not going to cut it as a smallish grinder having to check guys like lindros and leclair etc. in a much more tough game to play back in those days i really don't see marner taking someone's spot to establish himself as a dominant offensive player.

One of the measuring sticks for a trade is which team gets the best player. Hard to imagine any Marner trade scenario in which he would not be the best player in the trade. I will respectfully disagree with you on this. There is not a single NHL d-man that I would trade Marner for. Dynamic talent, impossible to replace a 22 year old with the skill and determination of Marner.
- winsix

marner for rantanen?

Yes, but you said you’ve seen better players that never got a shot. I’m saying he did.
- RickJames77

simon gamache is not one of the players that i've seen that never got a shot.

there were some small players back then but it was different. small players had to score or rack up points or they weren't going to last long because they were definitely not going to cut it as a smallish grinder having to check guys like lindros and leclair etc. in a much more tough game to play back in those days i really don't see marner taking someone's spot to establish himself as a dominant offensive player.
- LeafnsNxt2Godlyns

I disagree. It is what it is. I don’t really care to argue it anymore.

So you're basically railing against progress? Your largest bone of contention is that because they have reduced clutch and grab hockey and taken away dirty blind side hits, it has allowed for skilled players to excel and this is a bad thing?

You can watch hockey for hockey. You can watch the UFC to appreciate gladiator sports.
- Monkeypunk

progress? the game has never been more boring to watch and yet you pay more money to go watch it. enjoy.