Dubas calls Leafs fans “idiotic” for criticizing Mitch Marner

The Toronto Maple Leafs players, staff and management group held their season ending media availability today to break down just exactly went wrong in the team's best of five Qualifying Series against the Columbus Blue Jackets. General manager Kyle Dubas was oddly effusive in his praise for his team, despite massively underperforming and essentially collapsing against the Blue Jackets.

Dubas brushed aside any criticism of his team and how he constructed the roster and even went so far as to defend underperforming players like Mitch Marner, Tyson Barrie and Cody Ceci. Marner in particular has drawn considerable criticism from Leafs fans for essentially being a no-show in the series' first three games. The 23 year old Markham, Ontario native went goalless in five qualifying games after another impressive regular season campaign in which he put up 16 goals and 67 points in just 59 games. There's no denying the kid's skill, but when the chips were down and the Leafs needed some magic from Marner, he was nowhere to be seen. As a result, Leafs fans have rightly pointed to him as one of the team's biggest underperformers this post-season. Except... Dubas doesn't see things that way. In fact, he thinks it's "idiotic" if you feel that way yourself.

Check out this mind-blowing quote from Dubas when asked about Marner's play:

"I don't get the criticism of Mitch Marner one bit. I really struggle with it. Everything that he does wrong, people jump all over him about it. I don't know how or why it's that way. It's among the most idiotic things I see done here."

Seriously, Kyle? You don't know why it's this way? It might have something to do with the fact that he completely threw off the team's salary structure by demanding to be paid as one of the highest earning wingers in the NHL. Marner's contract is worth nearly $11 million against the salary cap... gee I wonder why fans are upset? Get a clue, Kyle.

To be perfectly honest, this could be a complete fall from grace for Marner. The hometown kid established himself as a fan favourite amongst Leafs fans for not only his skill and offensive production, but also for his "Golly, gee shucks" attitude and his "local boy done good" backstory. But then he had to go out and ask for the moon and completely disrupt the Leafs' financial structure and their locker room chemistry. He could have been one of the most adored players in Leafs' franchise history, but now he's at risk of being run out of town due to nothing more than his own greed.