How Mitch Marner's return compares to that of other former Maple Leafs

Mitch Marner’s return to Toronto has been looming since the moment he left, a date Toronto Maple Leafs fans circled on their calendars as soon as the schedule was finalized.

On Friday night, he steps back onto the ice at Scotiabank Arena as a member of the Vegas Golden Knights — a game that carries significant stakes not only on the ice, but in the stands as well.

How Marner's return will look is anyone's guess, as homecomings in this city are rarely simple, especially given the ups and downs the Leafs have been through.

It figures to be an emotional night for all involved, particularly if the Leafs opt to play a tribute video during a TV timeout, a moment that often reveals more than the game itself.

Earlier this week, that uncertainty played out in a different setting. During an intermission at a Leafs game, an interview with former Toronto Blue Jays infielder Bo Bichette was shown on the video board.

It was met with a noticeably cold response from the crowd.

Marner has already gotten a taste of what could be waiting for him. When he faced the Leafs in Vegas last week, a large contingent of Toronto fans made the trip to T-Mobile Arena, and the boos were audible whenever he touched the puck.

Whether his return to Toronto will unfold differently remains difficult to predict. Marner’s departure was met with mixed emotions — frustration over post-season shortcomings and protracted contract negotiations for some, and sympathy from others who viewed the ending as a product of circumstance rather than intent.

With that in mind, history offers some guidance. To understand what might await Marner, it’s worth revisiting how Leafs fans have handled the returns of former players — beginning with an example outside Toronto that provides an instructive comparison.

An unpleasant return to remember

Not all homecomings are meant to be joyous occasions, and for John Tavares, that's exactly what he got when he returned to Long Island.

What ended up being a big-time signing for the Leafs was seen as a betrayal in the eyes of Islanders fans.

This set the stage for his return to Nassau Coliseum in February 2019, where the anticipation was matched — and quickly overwhelmed — by hostility. Relentless boos, chants, and the throwing of plastic snakes and jerseys made it one of the most uncomfortable homecomings in recent NHL memory.

It was a moment Tavares surely would like to forget, and Leafs fans did their best by providing their big free agent signing with an ovation.

Marner’s return carries a similar undertone, as he, too left in his prime. However, his status as a hometown player complicates things, given the belief that a forward drafted and developed by the Leafs would be central to ending the franchise’s Stanley Cup drought.

However, where the two situations differ is that Islanders fans felt a greater level of betrayal in losing their captain and clear-cut franchise player for nothing. The Leafs still have a core of strong forwards led by Auston Matthews, William Nylander and Tavares that makes the Marner departure sting less in comparison.

While it's hard to expect Marner to get the same reaction in his return that his former teammate got, the emotions tied to this make it tough to expect a joyous homecoming.

An unfortunate situation with a heart and soul player.

Fortunately for Marner, his return will at least be in a better environment than that of his former teammate, Zach Hyman.

Hyman made the shocking decision to take a deal with the Edmonton Oilers, so the Leafs lost a player who was a great success story and beloved for his hard-nose style.

Unfortunately, his return came under unusual circumstances. COVID-19 restrictions left Scotiabank Arena empty when Hyman played his first game back in Toronto with the Oilers in 2022, denying fans — and the player — a proper moment of acknowledgment.

Give Hyman credit for taking the moment in stride and having fun with the situation, although it made no sense to do it during a commercial break, considering fans didn't even get to see the tribute video live during the game.

A hero's welcome despite a complicated departure

Back in 2008, the Leafs were not in a playoff position and were looking to see if they could move Mats Sundin to a contender in a way to acquire future assets and help him make a push for a Stanley Cup. When the longtime captain refused to waive his no-trade clause at the deadline, frustration followed him out the door.

Sundin struggled to see a situation where he was playing for another team and ultimately decided he wanted to have a say in how his tenure in Toronto ended.

Unfortunately, it was an awkward and emotional situation as fans had to come to terms with Sundin's decision, which, in the end, was a tough blow to the team and something that, to this day, has been tough to forget.

When Sundin returned to Toronto wearing a Vancouver Canucks sweater, the uncertainty surrounding his reception disappeared almost immediately. As soon as the tribute video began on the Jumbotron, the entire arena rose to its feet as Sundin fought back emotion.

You couldn't script a more fitting storyline for this game as it went to a shootout, and with Vancouver needing a goal to secure the win, No. 13 came off the bench with fans on their feet. After scoring on his trademark backhander and being mobbed by his Canucks teammates, Sundin got his curtain call after being named the third star of the game and went back out to another ovation.

Certainly, it would have been difficult to imagine Sundin receiving anything other than a positive response, but the moment underscored a broader truth: in the end, his legacy endured beyond the circumstances of his reason to move on from the Leafs.

However, it is tough to compare Marner's tenure with Sundin's, and that is why there are questions as to the type of reception he'll get at Scotiabank Arena.

Putting Kadri's tough playoff history in the past

When Nazem Kadri returned to Scotiabank Arena after being traded to Colorado, it offered another example of a complicated — yet ultimately reconcilable — departure.

It was something that was expected, as he repeatedly crossed into trouble in the playoffs, where his suspensions in 2018 and 2019 left the Leafs shorthanded at critical moments and strained the trust between himself and the team.

By the summer of 2019, the relationship had reached a breaking point, and the team decided to trade Kadri to Colorado in a multi-player trade that sent Tyson Barrie and Alexander Kerfoot back the other way.

It was seen as a move to finally help the Leafs address their need on the blue line and get a centre back for a player who had fallen out of favour and had a complicated tenure in Toronto.

When Kadri eventually made his return as a visitor, the crowd provided the former seventh overall pick with a warm ovation when they played a video montage during the first TV timeout.

You can tell by the emotion on his face that he was touched by the reaction from fans, even though his decade-long tenure ended in a tough exit.

Much like Kadri, some fans felt the Leafs needed to move on from Marner following repeated post-season disappointments. Marner can only hope his return is met with the same understanding Kadri eventually received.

An emotional return for a complicated player

When the Leafs acquired Dion Phaneuf in a blockbuster deal back in 2010, it was a massive move to add a big-name defenceman and push Toronto forward in their hopes of getting back to the playoffs.

Phaneuf inherited both the responsibility and the scrutiny that came with wearing the “C” in Toronto. His tenure coincided with some of the franchise’s most turbulent years — heavy minutes, relentless criticism, and he was a central figure in the "salute-gate" controversy.

By 2016, there were signs that Toronto was looking to go in a different direction. Phaneuf was stripped of the captaincy earlier that season as the Leafs were looking to usher in a new era with management trading away players as part of a culture reset.

The captain was eventually shipped off to Ottawa as part of a nine-player deal. He joined players like Roman Polak, Phil Kessel, James Reimer, Daniel Winnik and Jonathan Bernier to be traded out of town.

He made his return a month after the trade to the Senators, and it was clearly an emotional one for Phaneuf. The defenceman had a tough time holding back tears during the montage video being played during the TV timeout.

Fortunately for him, Leafs fans showed gratitude with an ovation for Phaneuf despite him being a part of a tough chapter in the franchise's history.

In some ways, Marner and Phaneuf certainly have a lot in common as players who drew the ire of the fanbase, but like the former captain, Marner certainly must be hoping that some time away will provide him with the chance to get a positive reception.

The no-love approach

Phil Kessel was acquired in a blockbuster deal with Boston in 2009 for a steep price that brought on big-time expectations.

He was the club’s most dangerous offensive weapon and delivered on the score sheet, but his tenure unfolded amid organizational instability, constant scrutiny, and unrealistic expectations placed on a player that clearly couldn't carry them alone.

The Leafs committed to a full rebuild under new management, and Kessel's departure seemed inevitable. He was traded to the Pittsburgh Penguins, providing a clean break from a failed era.

In the end, Kessel got to move on as part of back-to-back Stanley Cup wins with Pittsburgh and Toronto used the assets to get the players they needed.

He didn’t receive a warm welcome in his first game back. In fact, the Leafs opted not to play a tribute video, a decision that drew criticism from fans and players alike. Kessel was booed throughout the night, a reminder that complicated tenures are not easily forgotten.

Did the organization contribute to the hostility, or were fans simply voicing frustration with a wasted era? That question lingered then — and now hangs over Marner’s return as well.

The Golden Knights forward will have to be ready for any possibility.