Prospect Info: Mitch Marner - 2016

[ACC1224]

I think a lot of people are missing the biggest point here.

Marner's current size is only related to WHEN he will be NHL ready and not IF he will some day.

Impatience by some seem to feel he needs to be in the NHL immediately, whereas others are saying what's the rush and let him get bigger and stronger first and then we can all enjoy the results for the Leafs.

The discussion about size is more about timing then it is about criticizing the player because he happens to be lightweight at this stage. When Mark Hunter drafted Marner he could recognize the skill just like everyone else can, but he also likely knew it would take time for him to grow and mature before the Leafs would reap the reward of that pick (with time). That is almost a given when you intentionally draft a smaller player for his skill level hoping his size will grown as he adds strength with development.

Conner Brown was drafted into the OHL at 125lbs and drafted by the Leafs @ 145lbs and now after more time and development is up in the 180s size wise. Connor Brown also lead the OHL in scoring with 68 games 45g 83a 128 points. It wasn't his offense that kept him out of the NHL until now, it has been his stature all along. Marner's situation is not all that different at present.

One being 4th overall while the other being a 6th round pick makes this a pretty silly comparison.

Not many are being impatient, most feel his size isn't that big an issue.

 

[burpsalot]

why is it every time one of ours players get hit it's a cheap shot ?

if you have your head down you've put yourself in a position to get hit and DP used to take 10 runs at guys who were looking the other way or with there head down and this board cheered every time he laid someone out

The cheap shot wasn't because he was hit with his head down, it was an elbow to the head that was the cheap shot & it resulted in a 10 game suspension.

 

[Menzinger]

why is it every time one of ours players get hit it's a cheap shot ?

if you have your head down you've put yourself in a position to get hit and DP used to take 10 runs at guys who were looking the other way or with there head down and this board cheered every time he laid someone out

Because a head shot is a cheap shot, no matter how you look at it - it wasn't just that Marner had his head down, the checker targeted his head directly. It wasn't a clean hit.

Point is - the most recent injury wasn't the result of his small stature. It could have happened to anyone.

 

[Daisy Jane]

And the point you're missing is that the 'when' could very well be in 2016. Plenty of players have done it in the past and someone of Marners pedigree could very well do it as well. He's that good. Does it mean he's completely ready, or at least deserving of a NHL roster spot? No. Just like if Strome goes in the Coyotes camp (or any other team he would have been selected by) and doesn't play well, there's not much of a chance they keep a player that can't play in the NHL. He's not AHL eligible either. Size is irrelevant to a player being NHL ready or not. Do you get it?

There's no impatience from me anyway, I can't speak for anyone else. Let's see how he does in training camp and then revisit where he should play. The scale won't matter at that point at all, even if strength could still be an issue by then.

he's working with roberts. he'll be fine

 

[ACC1224]

The cheap shot wasn't because he was hit with his head down, it was an elbow to the head that was the cheap shot & it resulted in a 10 game suspension.

Honestly, some things shouldn't need explaining.

 

[CHRoNiCWiLL]

Hypothetically if Stamkos signs with us in the summer, Marner could reach out to Stamkos or vice versa and train together. Thornhill and Markham are right next to each other which are their hometowns. Under Stamkos and maybe Gary Robert's tutulege, I could see Marner packing on 5+ lbs of muscle for the upcoming season.

 

[Wafflewhipper]

I think a lot of people are missing the biggest point here.

Marner's current size is only related to WHEN he will be NHL ready and not IF he will some day.

Impatience by some seem to feel he needs to be in the NHL immediately, whereas others are saying what's the rush and let him get bigger and stronger first and then we can all enjoy the results for the Leafs.

The discussion about size is more about timing then it is about criticizing the player because he happens to be lightweight at this stage. When Mark Hunter drafted Marner he could recognize the skill just like everyone else can, but he also likely knew it would take time for him to grow and mature before the Leafs would reap the reward of that pick (with time). That is almost a given when you intentionally draft a smaller player for his skill level hoping his size will grown as he adds strength with development.

Conner Brown was drafted into the OHL at 125lbs and drafted by the Leafs @ 145lbs and now after more time and development is up in the 180s size wise. Connor Brown also lead the OHL in scoring with 68 games 45g 83a 128 points. It wasn't his offense that kept him out of the NHL until now, it has been his stature all along. Marner's situation is not all that different at present.

I believe you aren't criticizing Marner. However, he has Nhl skill, wrist shot, vision, playmaking skill just to put it in to basic terms.

You project only on size with Marner mostly.

The only prospect and junior player evaluation as a 18 year old he is not elite at is his frame. People are excited and somewhat expecting a higher percentage chance of him being a leaf next year.

I generally agree he has a higher percentage chace at being a leaf as opposed to a Knight. If i had to put a number on it i would say 100% he will be a leaf.

If the Ahl was a option i would put it at 75/25 in favour of Marlies. So you can see clearly why i think 100 % Nhl next year.

 

[hotpaws]

The cheap shot wasn't because he was hit with his head down, it was an elbow to the head that was the cheap shot & it resulted in a 10 game suspension.

Because a head shot is a cheap shot, no matter how you look at it - it wasn't just that Marner had his head down, the checker targeted his head directly. It wasn't a clean hit.

Point is - the most recent injury wasn't the result of his small stature. It could have happened to anyone.

and when MM threw a flying ass cracker on the swede at WJC with the initial point of contact being the head our fans cheered and called it a clean hit

to be honest i have no idea what a clean or dirty hit is anymore and it seems to be determined by whether the player is injured or not

 

[Purity*]

I think a lot of people are missing the biggest point here.

Marner's current size is only related to WHEN he will be NHL ready and not IF he will some day.

Impatience by some seem to feel he needs to be in the NHL immediately, whereas others are saying what's the rush and let him get bigger and stronger first and then we can all enjoy the results for the Leafs.

The discussion about size is more about timing then it is about criticizing the player because he happens to be lightweight at this stage. When Mark Hunter drafted Marner he could recognize the skill just like everyone else can, but he also likely knew it would take time for him to grow and mature before the Leafs would reap the reward of that pick (with time). That is almost a given when you intentionally draft a smaller player for his skill level hoping his size will grown as he adds strength with development.

Conner Brown was drafted into the OHL at 125lbs and drafted by the Leafs @ 145lbs and now after more time and development is up in the 180s size wise. Connor Brown also lead the OHL in scoring with 68 games 45g 83a 128 points. It wasn't his offense that kept him out of the NHL until now, it has been his stature all along. Marner's situation is not all that different at present.

Nooooooo Messssyyy

It was his stature ALONG WITH his sub-par skating that kept him out of the league. Marner does not share those problems with skating

 

[ULF_55]

He'll be fine.

Last year he was out of his league, but he was much smaller, not as smart, not as fast, and not as strong as he is now.

 

[Ovate]

Hypothetically if Stamkos signs with us in the summer, Marner could reach out to Stamkos or vice versa and train together. Thornhill and Markham are right next to each other which are their hometowns. Under Stamkos and maybe Gary Robert's tutulege, I could see Marner packing on 5+ lbs of muscle for the upcoming season.

Marner and Stamkos could train together anyway. Lots of NHL players on different teams train together.

Marner could even casually suggest that Stammer comes to Toronto.

 

[Willy Styles]

I think a lot of people are missing the biggest point here.

Marner's current size is only related to WHEN he will be NHL ready and not IF he will some day.

Impatience by some seem to feel he needs to be in the NHL immediately, whereas others are saying what's the rush and let him get bigger and stronger first and then we can all enjoy the results for the Leafs.

The discussion about size is more about timing then it is about criticizing the player because he happens to be lightweight at this stage. When Mark Hunter drafted Marner he could recognize the skill just like everyone else can, but he also likely knew it would take time for him to grow and mature before the Leafs would reap the reward of that pick (with time). That is almost a given when you intentionally draft a smaller player for his skill level hoping his size will grown as he adds strength with development.

Conner Brown was drafted into the OHL at 125lbs and drafted by the Leafs @ 145lbs and now after more time and development is up in the 180s size wise. Connor Brown also lead the OHL in scoring with 68 games 45g 83a 128 points. It wasn't his offense that kept him out of the NHL until now, it has been his stature all along. Marner's situation is not all that different at present.

An important thing to note here is that Connor Brown put up his 128 points as a 20 y/o in the OHL, Marner has been doing so first as a 17 y/o and now as an 18 y/0.

Obviously size is an issue, but giving him sheltered minutes all while being under direct supervision of NHL trainers will, IMO, be more beneficial for both his development and physical maturity. No matter how you spin it, I believe there is nothing left for Marner in the OHL. I mean how will being in the OHL facilitate gains in his overall size, when he hasn't seemed to make an significant gains this year.

 

[theIceWookie]

I know what the numbers say, but if you superimpose a picture of Marner next to the Hamburgular and eyeball the trigonometry a bit, it's obvious he's actually 5'5.35, 133lbs, and a Capricorn.

Seems like a pretty relevant quote on Marner and his height. 7even dropping truth bombs

 

[WTFMAN99]

Context.

Being played at Centre without regular line mates, where he is statistically better playing as a winger.

Also, coming back from the WJC, where most players have a "funk". Could have just as easily score 2.5 PPG this season, but it doesn't really matter.



Dude, just stop responding to Mess.

The agenda pushing is strong with him lol.

 

[Bravid Nonahan]

If Marner was 6'2 200 lbs he wouldn't even be the same player. He is a slippery, elusive, creative player BECAUSE he is small-ish.

 

[hotpaws]

If Marner was 6'2 200 lbs he wouldn't even be the same player. He is a slippery, elusive, creative player BECAUSE he is small-ish.

if he was that size he would have gone ahead of Eichel and he wouldn't have to be as slippery or as elusive to be a dominate player

 

[Bravid Nonahan]

if he was that size he would have gone ahead of Eichel and he wouldn't have to be as slippery or as elusive to be a dominate player

Yep. Of course, a 6'2" Marner with the exact same skillset, would be insane. But I'm talking about if he was always a good sized kid -- he never would have developed the skills that he did. Why? Because it would have been unecessary.

The absolute best case, grand slam scenario, is if Marner has a late growth spurt like his brother and turns out 6'2 or something. That would be insane.

I'm still confident he will be elite, even if he doesn't grow another mm, however.

 

[ACC1224]

If the Leafs had the 2nd pick he may have went ahead of Eichel.

 

[Apotheosis]

If Marner was that big and had the same skill set, he would be generational.

 

[hotpaws]

If the Leafs had the 2nd pick he may have went ahead of Eichel.

or more likely he wouldn't have

 

[Leafs at Knight]

If Connor McDavid's name was actually Mitch Marner; Marner would've went 1st overall.

 

[Stephen]

If Marner was 6'2 200 lbs he wouldn't even be the same player. He is a slippery, elusive, creative player BECAUSE he is small-ish.

If he was that size with that skillset he'd basically be neck and neck with McDavid.

 

[hotpaws]

If he was that size with that skillset he'd basically be neck and neck with McDavid.

McDavid would still be clearly ahead due to his unbelievable acceleration .

 

[91Stammer*]

McDavid would still be clearly ahead due to his unbelievable acceleration .

But Marner is more agile and elusive than McDavid and on top of that brings a perfect 2-way game at 6'2. He would be the second coming of Lindros. The most dominant player the League will see for years to come.

 

[WTFMAN99]

McDavid would still be clearly ahead due to his unbelievable acceleration .

He's up there for quickest first couple of steps i've ever seen. Only 2 other guys come to mind, Bure and Afinogenov. Problem with Afinogenov was that he didn't know what to do with the speed.