TORONTO | The Maple Leafs haven't won a playoff series since 2004, but their on-ice woes suddenly took a turn for the worse when they learned thugs had leveled a gun at teammate Mitch Marner in an attempt to steal his vehicle.

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The star player, who was making $10 million this season, was unavailable Tuesday to meet the media for the team's end-of-season review at the request of Toronto police.

She also asked the Maple Leafs not to give too many details about the matter, which is under investigation.

But all of Marner's teammates he met on Tuesday spoke of the relief they felt when they learned their friend had escaped unscathed.

Veteran Jason Spezza seemed particularly shaken by the events, which are happening with increasing frequency in the Toronto area.

"We're not talking about hockey here. We are talking about life. It's scary. It's troubling. I'm relieved he's OK," he dropped.

Not him the target

Marner was not injured by the suspects, three men who had two guns and a knife in their possession, the Toronto Star reported Tuesday.

The latter would not have been aware that the vehicle belonged to the attacker, can we also read in the Toronto Sun.

They only had one for the Leafs star's black Range Rover, a sport utility vehicle whose entry-level version of the year sells for around $126,000.

“You want my car? Take the ! Marner replied to his assailants, according to what witnesses told the Toronto Sun.

They then drove away with the luxury vehicle with the aim of reselling it.

The attack took place around 7:45 p.m. Monday in the parking lot of a Cineplex theater in Etobicoke, not far from the team's training center. Marner was going there with a friend in her twenties to watch a movie.

While Marner was uninjured during the flight, he came out shaken, his agent said.

Sweeter encounter

Marner still showed up at the Maple Leafs Training Center on Tuesday to attend his traditional year-end meeting with team officials.

Head coach Sheldon Keefe pointed out that the tone of this discussion was a little different, given the trauma his protege had just gone through.

Phenomenon on the rise

The phenomenon of carjacking (or carjacking) is growing in the Toronto area. It consists of stealing a vehicle by uttering threats or being violent towards its driver.

The number of complaints filed for this type of wrongdoing has increased by 81% in five years.