Marner's letter to the fans...

[Mess]

Not sure that message achieved all that he wanted it to.

Actions speak louder than words and its hard to see humble and appreciation in a message that resulted in him being paid as one of the highest players in the league to convey love and loyalty to his childhood team and thanking the fans for this opportunity.

While he loves being a Leaf no question, no arguing that point, this attempt to gain favour likely isn't going to have the impact he thought it might.

Taking a hometown discount to stay in Toronto with this message would ring more sincere and have had a larger impact on his message he was trying to convey. IMO

I think he recognizes his brand was a little tarnished this offseason as I sure he is fully aware of some of the messaging in the media and online comments via twitter etc changed some fan impression of him due to this contract. That is why this video was made to try and address that in part.

 

[Throw More Waffles]

I just don’t like the dishonesty.

It took paying him an outrageously unreasonable contract in order to get him to stay. It was clearly all about the money, and nothing else.

I honestly would have respected him more if he just admitted that. “Folks, hockey is a business... and I was just trying to get every last penny I could.”

 

[ErnieLeafs]

Some of you take this stuff wayyyyy too seriously. It’s a game. Enjoy it.

 

[Drytoast]

It was clear he was reading, which was bad, but who was the cinematographer who decided it would be wise to spend seconds focusing solely on the paper he's holding to emphasize the fact that it's scripted and not memorized?

I think the idea was that it was written by hand by the great Mitch Marner himself. He took some time away from his endorsement commercials and his 11 mil life style to pen us a hand written letter telling us about how he loves Toronto so much that it required paying him the most in the league to play here!

I'm so happy!

As previously mentioned, the best advice he could have gotten for his "brand" was to now just STFU and perform to the level he is getting paid.


if he can.

 

[Primary Assist]

Mitchy's so socially oblivious - but at least he seems like a legit good kid. He's got a million voices in his ear, between his dad and agent using his skill to rake the Leafs over the coals and now this PR goon having him read hollow words. Lucky for him when he's on the ice he's an absolute boss and takes command of his own destiny.

Regardless of this stupid video, if Mitchy goes out and scores 100 this year and helps us bring home the Stanley Cup then I will legit become his human ottoman. As in I will follow him around room to room, and when he sits down he can rest his feet on my back. Armchair, leather chair, office chair, beach chair, rocking chair, I don't care. Mitchy, bring us the Cup and you've just got yourself a human ottoman.

 

[McClelland]

That was Tom Cruise level embarrassing, ROFL

 

[JT AM da real deal]

I think they were trying to highlight that it was hand written, like he wrote it out himself, his thoughts.

I would guess Paul wrote that one and was the one holding camera. Mitch would have been better off just saying things his own way. He is a charming and funny kid in his own way. but what was said I have heard for years. it is heartfelt although I know it does not sound that way but I can understand why.

 

[Drytoast]

That was Tom Cruise level embarrassing, ROFL

Whoa! No need to hit him that low, fella!

 

[Bomber0104]

Just shut up and play Mitch.

Maybe donate to a good charity once and a while too.

 

[ZEBROA]

You should not hate the kid for getting a big contract. But you can hate the situation it creates for the team if he dont live up to that contract. Dont ask for more then you can manage to give on ice. We will know after contract years are done and maby sooner. But not this year how ever it goes ( ok if this is a cupwinning year , everything is ok).

 

[TheBigThree]

I think the idea was that it was written by hand by the great Mitch Marner himself. He took some time away from his endorsement commercials and his 11 mil life style to pen us a hand written letter telling us about how he loves Toronto so much that it required paying him the most in the league to play here!

I'm so happy!

As previously mentioned, the best advice he could have gotten for his "brand" was to now just **** and perform to the level he is getting paid.


if he can.

Trying to appease to disgruntled fans while wearing his redbull hat to get that sponsorship money

 

[notDatsyuk]

And the backwards cap? ugh.
Again, it's simple stuff . . . not hard to come off as genuine, sincere, and still be hip/fresh for your younger fans WITHOUT a backwards baseball cap (sorry, I have a thing with that). ugh. I changed my mind, it's not ok.

image backwards baseball cap hand shading - Google Search

 

[McClelland]

Whoa! No need to hit him that low, fella!

thought it was the main, leaving now, cheers!

 

[Drytoast]

thought it was the main, leavng now, cheers!

Naw stay awhile, there is room for everyone!

 

[Craig Button]

I honestly hate him. Saw this on reddit yesterday and after reading the comment section no way I'm watching this. He needs to fire his PR people and needs to ****. Play hard, get goals and amazing assists like in game one and eventually maybe we'll like marner again.

 

[Gary Nylund]

While I agree that this was cringe/corny and a bad idea, I don't get why fans would hate the kid all of a sudden. It shows a complete lack of understanding for what pro sports - a business. People expect the players to take discounts and cater to the team/fanbase yet the teams and franchises who employ them would NEVER do that, nor is it expected of them by the fanbase. It's hypocrisy, really. Mitch comes out a massive winner in his contract negotiations, yet he is hated for this? He squeezed the most money out of his employer he could have and it's more impressive to me than worthy of hatred. Again, these employers give no ****s for the players and will go to the ends of the Earth to put the franchise and its bottom line over the players every day and twice on Sundays. Good for Mitch. I'm not going to use the business side of the game to fuel my feelings for the kid - his play is the only thing that should do that for me/fans.

I agree that nobody should hate Marner. That said, I just want him to shut up for a while.

I don't expect anyone to take a home town discount. This is a huge overpayment though which is something else. If you're impressed that he squeezed all that money out of the team, that's fine.

Here's the thing though, when your actions have made it abundantly clear that money is your #1 priority, talking about how much you love the fans and the team etc. rings hollow and comes across as phoney. Acting like a phoney won't endear you to the fans, simple as that. He got all his money but if he thinks that he's instantly going to get universal love from us all, well I'm sorry but that's just naive.

 

[Warden of the North]

I.....like the Leafs and having good players.

 

[Drytoast]

I agree that nobody should hate Marner. That said, I just want him to shut up for a while.

I don't expect anyone to take a home town discount. This is a huge overpayment though which is something else. If you're impressed that he squeezed all that money out of the team, that's fine.

Here's the thing though, when your actions have made it abundantly clear that money is your #1 priority, talking about how much you love the fans and the team etc. rings hollow and comes across as phoney. Acting like a phoney won't endear you to the fans, simple as that. He got all his money but if he thinks that he's instantly going to get universal love from us all, well I'm sorry but that's just naive.

No one expects it, but our stars did the exact OPPOSITE, while at the same time telling us how much they love it here.

 

[Ryan Michaels]

Gents you can cry about the money all day. To me I don't anymore. I used to when I was younger but now I know it will never change. Everyone in hockey knows the Leafs are a massive money box that never stops giving. and it is because of us the fans. The Leafs owners' president and coach are extremely over paid. Dubie you need to get your share too. You are doing all the dirty work and you need to bank too. I hope you do. And even after all the massive overpayments da bank account is still massive. Everyone needs to understand the issue is the CAP it is not the Leafs. Our Leafs could pay double or triple the current salaries and it is still a non issue.

I'm surprised how rarely this comes up, I think it's a pretty tough pill to ask players to swallow to take a discount playing for the wealthiest team in the league, that happily hands out the richest off ice contracts and pays tens of millions to players to not play for us. These guys aren't plugging in what the 2022 roster is going to look like on cap friendly, and honestly they're probably underpaid when you consider their value within the organization.

I just wish people would stop taking things so personally, though I can spare a laugh at the expense of the guys raking Nylander over the coals last year who were insisting Marner was a good hometown boy who would take a discount. They didn't take discounts but there is a great group of players together long-term, I'm more than happy to sit out free agency and the trade deadline for the sake of an elite core.

 

[TMLeafer]

A little odd timing weeks after he signed and the season has started. But that's about it.

 

[ShaneFalco]

It's not just about the money it's the whole tone of the negotiations that were set when Paul and Ferris went on their rants about being low-balled, unappreciated, offer-sheets yada yada yada

 

[The Iceman]

I like the idea of what he did....my grade 8 has better prep and production on his video assignments than that though...cringe

Had he looked at the camera and ripped off that speech from the heart it would have gotten some mileage with me.

 

[willmma]

Mitch, Nylander, and Matthews screwed us on term and screwed us on $$.

The tired old argument, "why should one take less than others", doesnt work.
in real life everyone makes less than others. I can guarantee you that there is someone out there that does a similar job as I do, and makes more money. That is the case for 99.99% of all people. Only one person makes the most in their job. Everybody else makes less.

To say that he has to make more than everyone else to be fair, is ridiculous. Marner got the third highest signing while being an RFA in NHL history: after McDavid and Matthews.
Why?

What's wrong with it if he made $8.3 for 8 years. That puts him in to 30 players in the league. That is a LOT of money. And that leaves the team with breathing room. These three players could have easily taken $5M less combined FOR EIGHT YEAR TERMS and would still be some of the top paid players in the league and have considerably very good contracts.

But no. They took their contracts from reasonable levels to too-much and then to F U levels.

If these three guys took just little bit less that would have helps us sign a better backup goalie, which can help the team go further in the season and the playoffs.

I find the selfishness and greediness of these kids disgusting.

I only want to see them do well because I want the leafs to win.



And now he're reading a letter telling us he likes how "diverse" the fans are. what is that?

 

[93LEAFS]

While I don't think the negotiation was handled well, I'm just happy I get to watch this player for the next 6 years. Truely a special talent.

 

[Willy Stylez]