'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Mitch Marner mourns the loss of UMich's "secret weapon" Greg Harden
Maple Leafs forward Mitch Marner paid tribute to the University of Michigan's "secret weapon", Greg Harden, on Saturday. The news comes on the heels of the University of Michigan announcing Harden's death on Friday, sparking a slew of tributes for the man who served as a catalyst for some of the greatest careers in sports.
In a post on his Instagram story, Mitch Marner wrote:
"You were one of a kind my friend, you will be missed by many. Rest easy."
Described by MSN as a life coach to collegiate athletes such as Tom Brady, Mitch Marner, Michael Phelps, Jalen Rose and countless more, Harden had been a staple of the University of Michigan since 1986. During his career, he was credited with the success of countless athletes across a wide range of sports.
Prior to making the jump to the NHL, Mitch Marner had received a scholarship from the University of Michigan, before then signing with the London Knights of the OHL. Despite not spending time at Michigan, he and Harden connected when the Maple Leafs brought him in as a performance coach.
Over the past three seasons, Harden had been working with Marner, Auston Matthews and the rest of the Maple Leafs as they looked to win their first Stanley Cup since the 1966-67 season.
"A man with perpetual positivity" - Toronto Maple Leafs join Mitch Marner in paying tribute to Greg Harden
On Friday news surfaced that after going in for surgery on Monday, Greg Harden died as a result of complications from the surgery earlier in the week. Although it's unclear exactly what happened, it didn't take long for tributes to begin pouring out for the man known as Michigan's "secret weapon".
In addition to tributes from the school, coaching staff, and faculty members, athletes such as Tom Brady shared their condolences online. After working with Harden for the past three seasons, the Toronto Maple Leafs took to X (formerly Twitter), formerly known as Twitter, to react to the news.
“The Toronto Maple Leafs are heartbroken to learn of the sudden passing of Greg Harden, who worked with our team for the past three seasons. Greg was a man with perpetual positivity and unwavering support for our entire organization.
“Our deepest condolences go out to Greg’s family and loved ones during this difficult time. He will be greatly missed.”
Years before, in 2021, during a one-on-one interview with The Athletic, Mitch Marner spoke about the impact Harden had on both him and the team. Several things stood out to Marner about Harden, starting with the knowledge he had of his and the team's previous seasons before joining the team three years ago.
In addition, Marner pointed to the energy Greg Harden brought with him. As someone who is generally an energetic person, Marner was struck by Harden's endless energy, as well as his emphasis on controlling the things you can control.
Trending
