The Toronto Maple Leafs forward is going to the 2020 Honda NHL All-Star Game at Enterprise Center in St. Louis on Saturday (8 p.m. ET; NBC, CBC, SN, TVAS) hoping to close a tumultuous six-month chapter of his life wrought with physical pain, gnawing heartache and churning frustration.
"It's been a roller coaster. A lot of ups and downs," Marner said in a candid interview with NHL.com. "But it's definitely made me stronger, knowing the will I have in me and knowing the will I have in my family and how much my family believes in me, supports me and loves me.
"That's one of the reasons it's so great to be able to go to All-Star Weekend. I'm so excited to be part of it, be able to share it with my family, and to know it was public support that helped get me here.
"It's awesome. It's a chance to put a lot of the recent [chaos] behind me."
He was named to the Atlantic Division team as part of the 2020 NHL All-Star Last Men In presented by adidas fan vote. The overwhelming public backing was refreshing for the 22-year-old forward, who still remembers feeling the wrath of certain outspoken fans not so long ago.
Marner, a native of the Toronto-area community of Markham, recalled walking his dog last summer when teenagers began yelling at the restricted free agent for not yet having signed a new contract with the Maple Leafs. He eventually agreed to a six-year $65.3 million contract on Sept. 13, but not before his family -- primarily his father Paul -- had been criticized on social media for allegedly meddling in his son's decision-making process.
"Obviously that entire signing situation, that's the first time I've been through a situation like that," Marner said. "My family situation and having to go through that, it was different. It was very hard. It didn't make me mad, I'd say it made me more uncomfortable about what people would say to my family. It made me uncomfortable and not happy about it.
"I'm lucky that my family was with me through it all, backing me in whatever decision I made."
Months later, Marner said he embraces the fact there are far more fans in his corner than not.