"Not kind to some people sometimes" - Mitch Marner slams Toronto media before his return from injury

Mitch Marner spoke to reporters on April 5 and was rather blunt regarding some of the questions they were asking. He was not pleased with the ongoing debate about his injury and the questions asked of him and his teammates.

Marner's comments stem from his injury which took place at the beginning of March when he started practicing with the Toronto Maple Leafs upon his return.

Returning to the ice during a practice session with the Maple Leafs, Marner directed more scrutiny toward the media, stemming from a question regarding the team's goaltender Ilya Samsonov.

In the interview with reporters, Mitch Marner said (via The Hockey News):

"Just like I spoke on before, I mean, I know I've said a lot of times, you guys are not kind to some people sometimes. And stuff gets said about a lot of people during tough stretches or tough moments. And obviously, that doesn't define one person.

"And what Ilya has done from coming back from the start of the season and just really taking us back into a great position, being the backbone of this team. It's been phenomenal and amazing to see."

The Toronto Maple Leafs, who have been 7-4-1 in Marner's absence, currently sit third in the Atlantic Division and have clinched a playoff berth for an eighth straight season.

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Mitch Marner will be playing on the second line in his first game since injury

After coming back from an injury that had sidelined him for 12 games, Marner will be playing on the second line tonight with captain John Tavares and Bobby McMann.

Upon returning, Marner will play his first game against the Montreal Canadiens on April 6 in Montreal, where the Maple Leafs will look to add to their win column and Auston Matthews will look to add to his quest for 70 goals this season.

Mitch Marner is a vital addition to the Toronto Maple Leafs team, where he comes in as a leader and his skillset is welcoming to the team. For the Maple Leafs, it will be important to extend the 26-year-old's contract when he becomes a restricted free agent on July 1, 2024.

The Toronto Maple Leafs' next game will be against the Pittsburgh Penguins on April 8. The Penguins are fighting for the final wild-card playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.