Ryan Whitney brutally mocks Mitch Marner over Maple Leafs playoff disappointment (Getty)

The Toronto Maple Leafs have fallen behind 3-2 in a series that once looked like it was theirs for the taking. They had won the first two home games, but a road trip tied the series. Game 5 proved pivotal, and it was at home, but they couldn’t muster up enough to win.

Ryan Whitney, who played in the NHL but never with the Maple Leafs, thinks Toronto is dead and buried in this series. He thinks they could bring out any players they want, but they’re not advancing.

He said on Spittin’ Chiclets (0:49 mark):

“This thing’s over. And I actually respect Aldi, and I respect you for being like, you know, maybe 5% of the fan base likes to see the series isn’t over, but those 95% of people and fans of the Toronto Maple Leafs, they know it’s over. They’ve seen this story over and over and over.”

He said the Leafs fan base has constantly witnessed highly paid players fail to “show up when it matters,” adding a specific insult tailored at Mitch Marner, who has come under fire for poor play.

He mocked the forward, imagining that he’d say:

“Hey guys, we gotta get the puck in keeping. We’re gods in Toronto. Everyone loves us. I want to get points. I don’t want to play hard hockey, Chief. Okay? Well, I want to win Stanley Cup and I beat the s**t out of people, and I know how to do it. I don’t care. I want 13 and a half million. I want to be the highest-paid player, even though I’ve never done anything in the playoffs.”

Whitney also added that it is emblematic of the larger problem with the Toronto organization.

Maple Leafs star might be closing his tenure with team

Mitch Marner, along with John Tavares, is entering free agency at the end of this season. When the Leafs finish playing, he will no longer be a member of the organization. He would like to re-sign, and they’d like to have him.

Mitch Marner might be playing his way out of the Maple Leafs (Imagn)

However, his utter lack of production in a crucial playoff series has one insider thinking it might be over for Marner. Rick Vaive, a former NHL player, said via the Toronto Sun:

“I think he’s a hell of a player who has averaged 90 to 100 points every year. But the bottom line, if the Leafs lose this series to Florida, is that you have to look at everything. And what myself and lot of people see is a Core Four who’ve been together eight or nine years and haven’t got it done at playoff time.”

He said it’s the definition of insanity, and that with Marner aiming for $13 million a season, money could be better spent elsewhere.