Mixed emotions swept through the Toronto Maple Leafs as Canada defeated Czechia 4–3 in overtime to advance to the semifinals of the 2026 Winter Olympics. On the one hand, there was joy in watching the Great White North move one step closer to gold. On the other, seeing Mitch Marner deliver in the clutch after his rocky finish in Toronto may not sit well with some fans in The Six.
To make matters worse, Marner’s linemate on Canada—and NHL teammate on the Vegas Golden Knights—Mark Stone rubbed salt in the wound with a pointed remark aimed at the organization in Ontario.
“As a teammate, I haven’t experienced that. In the 4 Nations, gets a huge OT goal for us, makes an incredible play for the winner. Then tonight, when we need him the most, he makes the play. So, I think it’s a Toronto thing,” Stone said after the game about the narrative around Marner missing a clutch factor, via The Boston Globe’s Matt Porter.
Clearly, Marner can—and indeed was—clutch. Perhaps, Sidney Crosby’s message to Canada against Czechia helped inspire Marner. As head coach Jon Cooper revealed, Canada was not losing hope on Crosby’s return at the Olympics, and the team made sure not to let its injured captain—as well as the entire nation—down.
Mark Stone #61 of Team Canada
Marner’s numbers with Team Canada in Olympics
Through four games with Team Canada at the 2026 Winter Olympics, Mitch Marner has been a force to be reckoned with. So far, the former Toronto Maple Leafs star has recorded five points (one goal and four assists). His game-winning goal in overtime against Czechia marked his first tally of the tournament.
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Needless to say, the timing could not have been better for the Ontario native to open his scoring account with Team Canada. When the team needed a hero, Marner rose to the occasion. In more ways than one, that may boil the blood of fans in Toronto, as it often felt like he never quite delivered in those moments when the Maple Leafs needed a savior.
