Mitch Marner's reputation takes another hit

After the Toronto Maple Leafs were once again bounced from the Stanley Cup Playoffs in Round 1 by their rival Boston Bruins, the reputation of talented forward Mitch Marner once again came under scrutiny thanks to his lack of clutch performance.

Of course, fans will always remember the sight of Marner throwing his gloves down on the bench in frustration in Game 4, along with lip-reading experts everywhere reporting that teammate William Nylander essentially told him to "stop f***ing crying".

Right now, Marner's name has been appearing in trade rumors, as he along with captain John Tavares are the half of Toronto's "Core 4" that are up for new contracts after next season. And if this latest assessment from NHL Insider Elliotte Friedman holds any weight, playing in a media fishbowl like Toronto may be the exact opposite of what Marner needs.

According to Friedman during an appearance on the 'Leafs Morning Take' podcast, now-former Leafs head coach Sheldon Keefe didn't want to press Marner the way that he did to Nylander and other players because of his "sensitivities".

"Keefe was hard on Nylander but I think Keefe was very careful when it came to Marner," Friedman said. "He felt Marner's sensitivity at times."

If a player regarded as one of the top talents on a team trying to fancy itself as a Stanley Cup contender can't be pressed to deliver results because of "sensitivities", then he almost certainly won't be able to properly function under a hard-nosed, no-nonsense coach like Craig Berube. 

Recommended articles:

• Maple Leafs officially take calls on Mitch Marner trade!
• Mitch Marner's fate in Toronto could be sealed
• Scenario arises in which Jake Guentzel signs in Toronto following monster trade!
• Mitch Marner’s fate in Toronto suddenly disclosed by forward’s camp!
• Major turnaround in status of Mitch Marner in Toronto