Funny how people forget what Mitch Marner did for the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Take the 2015 NHL draft, for example. Going into that draft, many scouts and observers had Noah Hanifin ranked ahead of Marner. Even after the Maple Leafs chose Marner fourth overall, there was no shortage of critics who thought they should have gone with the versatile defenseman.

Had the Maple Leafs done that, well, none of their fans would be talking about how much they hate Mitch Marner now that he appears to be headed to the Vegas Golden Knights.

They would have missed out on nine years of Marner's regular-season greatness. The playoffs were another matter, of course, but there is no disputing that Marner will go down as an all-time franchise great, as much as those who are sour at him at the moment would hate to admit it.

Time tends to heal all wounds and it will do so with this one. Marner will one day be remembered fondly, much the way Toronto Raptors fans have re- embraced Vince Carter.

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