Mitch Marner, recently victimized by carjacking, talks mental health

Toronto Maple Leafs forward Mitch Marner had his Range Rover SUV stolen in Etobicoke at the Cineplex theater, just days after the team was eliminated from the Stanley Cup Playoffs last spring. Marner, who was also with his fiancee at the time, was unhurt.

Marner, who scored the overtime winning goal against the New York Rangers last night at Scotiabank Arena, instead decided to discuss the important issue of mental health instead of his play on the ice. 

“Never be afraid to reach out. Call someone. Ask people how they’re doing,” Marner explained.

“We’re all there for one another, and we want this world to be a better place. So don't be afraid to reach out to anyone in need. You got a lot of people around you that love you and want to talk to you and make sure you're OK. So, never be afraid to reach out.”

Marner admitted that the carjacking last year is still affecting him.

“That incident that happened this past summer just really weighs on you mentally if you don't talk about it and don't really express yourself. Sometimes, incidents happen that you need to express yourself and talk to people about. And I think that's something I've really done a great job of these last couple years is not being afraid to reach out and talk about it and try and get a better understanding or just try to understand myself better,” Marner said.

“If you have a strong mentality, you’re pretty hard to break out there on the ice.

“It definitely does,” Marner continued when asked if the incident still affects him. “Throughout late nights or just weird atmospheres, weird vibes you get sometimes." 

“It's something that still kind of goes in your mind every once in a while, when you’re getting into car late night or something. You never know what's gonna happen. You gotta be aware of your surroundings.”