Insider report deals one more blow to Marner's reputation.

Toronto Maple Leafs star forward Mitch Marner has been a lightning rod for criticism since the Maple Leafs were eliminated from contention in the 2024 Stanley Cup playoffs, and unfortunately for Marner that trend continued last week as multiple negative stories about Marner and his camp have seemingly bubbled up to the surface at a rather inconvenient time for the embattled Leaf.

Things got off to a rather sour note for Marner this week when James Mirtle of The Athletic made some rather strong accusations against both Marner and those around him.

"He pays attention to everything," said Mirtle on The Leafs Report. "He and his camp pay attention to everything to such a degree. Marner's camp has been mad at me and blackballed me going back 5 or 6 years and I have no idea why. No one ever said to me 'Oh I didn't like this thing you wrote' and I think our coverage of Marner has been largely positive."

It is one thing to refuse to work with the media, but what Mirtle described on the podcast went well beyond that.

"There's such a sensitivity there," said Mirtle. "There's all these feuds going and you hear about you know he's got private security people that harass media people and there's just really weird stuff that's going on, really strange things that go on with Marner."

In a rather unfortunate coincidence for Marner and his camp, Mike Stephens of The Hockey News would report on some poorly timed comments made by Marner's private security detail, Rocket Security, on social media. Those comments would include calling out other members of the Maple Leafs, as well as comments about the new National Hockey League franchise in Utah.

One fan shared a similar experience with Rocket Security.

Marner of course can't be responsible for what every individual around him says on social media, but at a time when he is being hammered with criticism this certainly isn't doing his public image any favors.