Mitch Marner First Game Against Maple Leafs At Scotiabank Arena To Be Nationally Broadcasted In Canada

Mitch Marner is set to visit Scotiabank Arena as a visitor when his Vegas Golden Knights face off against the Toronto Maple Leafs on January 23. Despite Leafs games on a Friday night usually being broadcast locally by rights-holders Sportsnet or TSN, a report indicates that the game will be free of Canadian geographical restrictions.

The news was first mentioned on the ’32 Thoughts’ podcast with Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman and Kyle Bukauskas. While discussing the player, Friedman stated, “I know that game this year, which by the way, we have now made a national game”. He added, “I mean, that’s going to be a crazy night”. Ironically, this detail emerged from a broader conversation in which Friedman expressed his belief that it would be best for Marner, the Maple Leafs, and the fans to move on from the ongoing drama surrounding his departure.

Marner departed the Maple Leafs organization after spending the first nine seasons of his NHL career with the club. The 2015 first-round draft pick and one of the most prolific offensive players in franchise history, he recorded 221 goals and 520 assists in 657 career regular-season games. However, his performance in the playoffs often came into question, leading to significant criticism from fans and analysts alike.

In a recent interview with Mark Masters of TSN, Marner explained his reasons for not returning to Toronto, citing concerns for his own safety. There is no doubt that the narrative will continue to be a hot topic until Marner finally plays those games against the Toronto Maple Leafs.

The Maple Leafs and Golden Knights completed a trade for Marner’s rights on June 30 and the Golden Knights committed to Marner for eight years with an average annual value of $12 million per season.

For fans living in Canada outside the Maple Leafs’ traditional viewing region, this national broadcast will allow them to watch Marner’s return to Scotiabank Arena without needing to subscribe to Sportsnet’s higher-tier streaming service, Sportsnet+ Premium.

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