Newcomer Anthony Stolarz Reveals Why Mitch Marner is So Important for the Maple Leafs

Through his first two starts, Anthony Stolarz has been outstanding in a Maple Leafs uniform and was rewarded for his efforts with the player of the game belt following the Leafs' 4-2 victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins on Saturday night. After receiving the belt, Stolarz met with the Toronto media where one of the questions he was asked had nothing to do with the game at all, but rather the heat that Leafs star Mitch Marner has been facing since the end of last season and how he has handled it.

Stolarz, who played the 2013-14 with Marner on the London Knights sidestepped the question with an answer about what has surprised him the most about Marner's play so far this season and how important he is to the team on and off the ice.

Stolarz is the latest in a handful of past and present players that have been asked about the heat Marner has been getting, including Nathan MacKinnon, Ryan Reaves, and P.K. Subban, who was the latest to defend Marner in a heated rant.

The reality is that until Marner is either signed to an extension or traded to another team, the questions about his hard luck in the playoffs and his status with the team will persist. That's just how it is in Toronto. Thankfully, even though the fans and media are a little tougher on Marner than others within the organization, the former London Knight seems to have a lot of support from his teammates and his peers.